“Collaborate” :intransitive verb. Noun form is “collaboration” – 1:to work jointly with others or together especially in an intellectual endeavor  Simply put, collaboration as described in that first definition from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary website is the best resource/tool that a school can have and that leaders can encourage, especially in this recent epidemic. What makes … Continue reading What This Current Crisis Shows Is That Our Schools Are About Collaboration Among Teachers, Not Competition

The Great Gatsby is a book that is rather quick to read, easy to absorb, and forever reflected upon. Among my junior English classes, whether AP level or not, Gatsby tends to be the favorite. Students feel smarter for having read it. They despise the right people. They wrestle with the shallowness of the characters. They seem … Continue reading The Eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg Are Now Staring At Our Lawmakers – When Art Imitates Life

Every year on March 21, the Down Syndrome International sponsors for the world community a WORLD DOWN SYNDROME DAY. You can read more about it here: https://worlddownsyndromeday.org/. The date is a direct reference to genetic condition known as Trisomy 21 (three #21 chromosomes) which is commonly known as Down Syndrome. But Malcolm does not think much … Continue reading 3/21/21 – Malcolm’s Wish For World Down Syndrome Day (And A Thank You To Special Education Teachers)

Just issued by the Department of Education: And just posted by the News & Observer: “Neither students nor teachers need to be focused on high-stakes tests during this difficult time,” U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos said in a news release Friday. “Students are simply too unlikely to be able to perform their best in this … Continue reading Dear NCGA, The Feds Waived Mandatory Standardized Tests – Time For You To Waive State Tests (And School Performance Grades)

Here's some background material. Think of it as the standards you will be covering. From the official Twitter account of Lt. Gov. Dan Forest last summer. 2. The "Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act of 2012" 3. Coronovirus Properties "There's one thing that I can tell you about this: It is much more aggressive in … Continue reading A Cross-Curricular Virtual Lesson For North Carolina High School Students From Senator Richard Burr

It has been a while since Senator Richard Burr has been discussed in this blog. In fact it has been over three years since he helped to place Betsy DeVos into President Trump's cabinet and then praised her for her "efforts." In fact he made this statement: “I’m glad that we had a lively discussion … Continue reading Care To Make A Comment About This Sen. Burr?

In the eyes of this public school teacher, Betsy DeVos's policies and lack of actual perspective when it comes to education have been worse for our public schools than Dolores Umbridge was to Hogwarts. But she has the capability of doing one really positive action for our nation's public schools in the wake of the … Continue reading Dear Betsy DeVos, Do One Positive Action For Public Schools: Waive The Requirement For Standardized Testing For All States

One of the teachers I admire the most actually teaches at the high school whose attendance zone adjoins mine. Tripp Jeffers has been (and still is) a tireless advocate for NC public schools for longer than I have been in North Carolina. He posted this today. In just the last three days in setting up … Continue reading Every Public School Teacher Should Be Awarded Digital Learning Credits After This Week

Teaching is not easy. Never has been, Never will be. And with the current situation of schools closing and people having to confront this epidemic, teaching now will be more than "not easy." Yet our students need us more than ever. What we teach is so much more than curriculum and tests. For many of … Continue reading Our Students Need Us Now More Than Ever