Our public schools are better than you may think. Probably a lot better. With the constant dialogue that “we must improve schools” and the “need to implement reforms,” it is imperative that we as a taxpaying public seek to understand all of the variables in which schools are and can be measured, and not all … Continue reading Our Public Schools Are Better Than the NCGA Would Want You to Believe
Teacher Evaluations
EVAAS, The Iceberg Effect, and Stranger Things – The Secretive Way NC Measures Teachers and Schools
In October 2017, the venerable James Ford of the Public School Forum delivered the keynote address at the North Carolina English Teacher’s Association. It was more than exceptional as Ford highlighted that what hurts our schools most are external factors that are not being dealt with such as systemic poverty. Part of his presentation included … Continue reading EVAAS, The Iceberg Effect, and Stranger Things – The Secretive Way NC Measures Teachers and Schools
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Evaluating the State Superintendent – Mark Johnson’s Job Performance According to the Rubric
It is no secret that the powers-that-be in the General Assembly have attempted to enable the new state superintendent of public schools with enough power so that he can blindly champion their reformation causes. This seems to be in line with the market–driven, business-plan approach to public education that the state government in NC adopted … Continue reading Evaluating the State Superintendent – Mark Johnson’s Job Performance According to the Rubric
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Teacher Appreciation Week – Respect Versus Rewards
It is National Teacher Appreciation Week and with a new budget about to be presented by the North Carolina General Assembly's Senate chamber, I thought of this particular post I wrote exactly one year ago. It still seems so appropriate now. From May of 2016: In a recent report from the Lumberton NC paper The … Continue reading Teacher Appreciation Week – Respect Versus Rewards
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Open Letter to Phil Kirk, Chairman Emeritus for the NC State Board of Education
Dear Mr. Kirk, I read with great interest your op-Ed for EdNC.org posted on September7, 2016 entitled “Outlandish myths about NC Republicans and education” (https://www.ednc.org/2016/09/07/outlandish-myths-nc-republicans-education/ ) It originally appeared in The News and Observer on September 6th . Your initial paragraph in which you recount your unparalleled service and experience with education both in public … Continue reading Open Letter to Phil Kirk, Chairman Emeritus for the NC State Board of Education
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The Contradiction of Educational Reform and the Paradox of Great Teachers
Contradiction versus paradox. They are not that different, but in actuality they are. Merriam Webster defines a “contradiction” as, : the act of saying something that is opposite or very different in meaning to something else : a difference or disagreement between two things which means that both cannot be true Here are some examples: “Do what … Continue reading The Contradiction of Educational Reform and the Paradox of Great Teachers
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The Compare and Contrast Paper – EdWeek.org’s Interesting Article
This past week Education Week released an online compare and contrast the candidates on all things education. It is entitled “Compare the Candidates: Where Do Clinton and Trump Stand on Education?” You may find it here - http://www.edweek.org/ew/section/multimedia/president-candidates-trump-clinton-education.html. When my wife shared this particular link with me, I imagined that I had already known … Continue reading The Compare and Contrast Paper – EdWeek.org’s Interesting Article
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How Hillary Clinton Just Changed The Dialogue on Public Education With Sen. Tim Kaine’s Selection As VEEP
The announcement that Hillary Clinton today selected Sen. Tim Kaine as her running mate brought public education into the forefront of the presidential election even more. Donald Trump’s recent selection of Gov. Mike Pence solidified his stance that “choice” is the solution for what ails public education. Gov. Pence has been very much in favor … Continue reading How Hillary Clinton Just Changed The Dialogue on Public Education With Sen. Tim Kaine’s Selection As VEEP
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Open Letter to Gov. McCrory and the NCGA Concerning Bonus Pay for Teachers
Dear Gov. McCrory and members of the North Carolina General Assembly, This may not be a popular opinion, but it is one that is a matter of principle to me. I will be receiving $2,000 in bonuses this year for having a certain number of students pass the AP English Language and Composition Exam for … Continue reading Open Letter to Gov. McCrory and the NCGA Concerning Bonus Pay for Teachers
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Open Letter to Fellow NC Public School Teachers – What We Do Cannot Really Be Measured
Public school teachers, You can’t really be measured. In fact, those who are measuring you do not have instruments complex enough to really gauge your effectiveness. If you are a public school teacher in North Carolina, you are always under a bit of a microscope when it comes to accountability. Everybody in the community has … Continue reading Open Letter to Fellow NC Public School Teachers – What We Do Cannot Really Be Measured
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