Laurene Powell Jobs and her XQ school bus are coming to us via television on major networks on September 8th. She wants to remake high schools. Powell Jobs would have you think that high schools haven’t changed for a hundred years. That’s not true. The American high school can certainly always improve, but the institution […]
The Troubling Trend to Collect Behavioral Data on ALL Children
As school starts, many parents are being bombarded with information about behavioral data collection on their children. A lot of this is tied to the trendy push for social-emotional learning (SEL), and the attempt to connect behavior with a child’s ability to read and do well in school. But it’s troubling to see schools monitoring […]
Good News for Houston’s Public Schools
It has been difficult to watch the struggles facing the people of Texas. Our hearts and prayers go out to all those affected by the flooding. But there have been some positive signs that traditional public schools will start again in Houston. Some of those signs are uplifting and should give everyone hope during this […]
Betsy DeVos and Denying Flint’s Children Special Education
How can a state that poisoned its children with leaded water, now put roadblocks in their way to get the special education services they need to improve their lives? Where’s Betsy? There can be no denying that what happened in Flint impacts education and public schools there. Families need support. We should be getting ongoing […]
What’s Behind the Obsession with Kindergarten Readiness?
When I was in kindergarten, I had one line in a little play. I said, I am Patrick Potato and this is my cousin, Mrs. Tomato, and I heard laughter. I wanted to be an actress from that moment on. ~Doris Roberts, American actress, author and philanthropist. Raymond’s mom on the sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond. […]
Public Schools and Texas Priorities
Texas has their share of students in poverty, so why did the Katy Independent School District spend $72.1 million on a new football stadium? Remember a few months ago when we learned how the state had shut students with special needs out of services due to an unlawful cap? State officials did not seem to […]
Code of Conduct Books and Pasco County’s Kindergarten “Anarchy”
It’s important to pay attention to how discipline will be used in a child’s school. On the first day, a parent might be shocked upon entering their child’s kindergarten classroom to be handed a student conduct code or rule book by a smiling teacher. This book will have all the dos and don’ts involving behavior. […]
Addressing Mental Illness in Children During Trying Times
As schools open their doors for the 2017-2018 school year, it is a good time to discuss students, schools, and mental health. Recently, we learned that suicides have spiked in middle school. Young people are still bullied, often online. Sadly, national and world events can be far more alarming to children than adults might realize. […]
Ignoring Common Core Infomercials: 15 Better Ways to Teach Writing and Self-Expression
New York Times journalist Dana Goldstein, who isn’t a teacher but likes to write about them, recently wrote “Why Kids Can’t Write,” an infomercial for Common Core. A takeaway from the article is that Common Core may not be working to teach writing, but it’s the teacher’s fault. The real danger here, however, is the […]
Real Teaching? Looking Beyond the GAP and Booking.com Ads
Two ads on television need to be discussed because they each send problematic messages to the general public about teaching. GAP Back to School Ad The most recent is a back to school ad by GAP. This ad might seem upbeat, but these actions demonstrate student compliance. If you disagree, ask yourself, how many prestigious […]