It’s not looking good for Common Core State Standards—one would think. The recent flurry of activity could trick educators and parents into thinking something is going to happen to rid schools of the standards. Even the NEA’s Dennis Van Roekel, spoke out. But if you read closely enough, the standards are not considered to be […]
Why I Don’t Like Teach for America–#ResistTFA
I have never liked Teach for America. I remember when I first heard about it. I thought to myself that is the dumbest program ever. Maybe I was biased. I had just spent seven years of my life teaching full-time while earning a PhD in education—not to mention the many years before that, teaching and […]
Every Child, Every Day, College Bound AND Common Core?—Changing the Tune on What Constitutes College Preparation
For years the mantra has been every child must go to college. Of course, that’s why Americans were given the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). And that’s why students are being pushed with “rigor” to master skills at earlier levels than ever before. It is also why K-12 students are being pressured to fit into […]
Do Americans Love Their Children?—Yes! Many of them DO!
“Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” (New International Version) A while back I was talking with a friend about school problems, and she surprised me by saying “America doesn’t love its children!” I was taken aback. I’d never […]
Bright But Not Good Enough—A Mother’s Story
I received heartfelt comments on my post “Setting Children Up to Hate Reading.” Many parents are concerned and troubled about what is happening to their children at this level of development. Quite a few preschool and kindergarten teachers are caught in a serious struggle. How do they stay in their jobs when they are told […]
The Soulless Practice of Using Students with Disabilities to Fire Teachers—Remembering a Better World
How’s this for compassion in the new public school accountability world? By now most people have read about the Ethan Rediske situation in Orlando. The 11 year old, blind, with brain damage and cerebral palsy, as he lay dying in a Hospice, was required to take an alternative version of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test […]
Setting Children Up to Hate Reading
Any educator or parent who understands the beauty of reading and the importance of helping a child learn to do it right was appalled to read two recent articles about the subject. Both should make all of us concerned that children are being set up to hate reading. They are being pushed to read earlier […]
It’s What President Obama Didn’t Say about Education in the State of the Union Address….
The president, of course, could not speak about all the following disputes in one State of the Union Address. But the problem is he rarely speaks about these issues with the American people. There is little, if any, discussion or debate. The president might be surprised to find not everyone approves of his education policies. […]
Pete Seeger…if you sing for children, you can’t really say there’s no hope.
Yesterday we lost Pete Seeger, one of the all-time great folk singers and activists. The LA Times calls Seeger “the conscience of America.” A larger than life figure, there is no way one can write enough about Seeger. He dedicated himself to peace, civil rights, labor, and the environment. He sang folk music and songs […]
What Should Parents Do For Students with Autism in Public Schools?
The January 3rd post about autism hit a nerve and I have a little more venting to do on this subject before moving on…. These suggestions can apply to all students and parents who want something more than Common Core State Standards and high-stakes testing in their public schools. It is easy to tell parents […]