Those who would renegotiate the boundaries between church and state must therefore answer a difficult question: why would we trade a system that has served us so well for one that has served others so poorly? ~Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor On this 4th of July, the country faces divisive problems, including losing […]
The State of School Recess in America is Still Terrible!
One might assume state policymakers had improved school recess for children, considering their databases, but except for a few places, most school districts still deny children recess. They don’t appear to understand that children need and deserve unstructured school breaks several times a day. Unstructured is key. When they discuss recess they usually still mean […]
What’s The Teacher’s Role, if Any, in Community Schools with Partnerships?
The teacher’s role in community schools with business partnerships seems murky. This raises concerns about a teacher’s purpose in those schools. If Americans are going to embrace community schools, teachers must be recognized as professionals in their own right. Community schools rely on business partners, so will teachers be replaced with online (personalized) instruction, the […]
5 Ways to KNOW EVERY STUDENT! The Mental Health and Safety Role of Schools
Next to the extreme importance of changes in gun regulations, when it comes to mental health and school safety, many critical conditions are thus far overlooked or ignored by policymakers. The first and most important is to know every student at the school. Parents should ask, do they know my child at school? Educators should ask, do […]
On This Memorial Day: Sadness of a Different Sort
I think of a hero as someone who understands the degree of responsibility that comes with their freedom. ~Bob Dylan On this Memorial Day, is this the country our parents, grandparents, and ancestors fought for, a welcoming home where the youngest, oldest, and poorest among us can thrive? Did they foresee, fight, or die for […]
The Science of Reading Corporate Connection: Replacing Teachers with Tech
Many of the same individuals who favor charter schools, private schools, and online instruction, including corporate reformers, use the so-called Science of Reading (SoR) to make public school teachers look like they’ve failed at teaching reading. Politicians and corporations have had a past and current influence on reading instruction to privatize public schools with online […]
6 Terms Transforming Public Schools to The All-Tech Endgame
Here are tech terms threatening teachers and public schools and how students learn. When these words or phrases appear, it’s an indication that school district administrators, school board members, or those at the state or federal education levels are embracing an all-technology system, and teachers will play a secondary role in teaching students. Public schools […]
Lead Poisoning: A Known Learning Loss Threat
Many parents are concerned about their child’s learning loss due to the pandemic. If children are behind, they can catch up. But there’s another culprit that could cause serious difficulties. Lead poisoning poses a threat to children through the water they drink from lead solder/pipes, dust exposure involving old paint in homes, and living near […]
The Trouble with Social-Emotional Learning: Why Be Concerned? Here’s Why!
. . . we must hold social media platforms accountable for the national experiment they’re conducting on our children for profit. It’s time to strengthen privacy protections, ban targeted advertising to children, and demand tech companies stop collecting personal data on our children. ~President Biden, State of the Union Address, March 1, 2022 Social-emotional learning […]
101 Reasons Why Interactions in Classroom Settings are Better than Teacherless Online Instruction
Students learn from each other when given opportunities to interact in small classroom settings under the direction of well-informed, qualified teachers. Teacherless online programs where children face screens to work on rote exercises miss valuable keys to learning. Yet students are bombarded with more technology; however, reports indicate how risky too much technology can be! […]