Recruiting older teachers should be one solution to address the current teacher shortage crisis. Some states claim to be calling retired teachers back to the classroom to help during the pandemic. Does this include senior teachers? Will they be permanent positions? School districts should be searching for incentives and ways to attract all teachers, including […]
Grow-Your-Own Apprenticeships Don’t Raise Pay or Prestige for Professional Teachers
America’s children and teens need well-qualified professional teachers who study and specialize in the best universities, are paid fairly, and treated with respect, not Grow-Your-Own Apprenticeship programs to make fast-track learn-as-you-go classroom monitors. It’s hard to believe parents want apprentices not fully prepared teachers working with their children. Grow-Your-Own Apprenticeship is not just a program […]
The Dangerous End of School Libraries and Public Education
School libraries are critical to maintaining great democratic public schools. The loss of school libraries threatens their existence and a student’s right to receive information. See the American Library Association and The Universal Right to Free Expression: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights. Many public schools no longer have functioning school libraries or qualified […]
Universal Preschool and The Expectation Divide: It’s Time to Talk!
. . .the best way to improve test scores was to do for all children even more of what we already did for wealthy children–and [recognize] that play was the vehicle for strong intellectual development in the young, regardless of class or race. What was good for the rich was best for the poor too–only […]
The Murky World of i-Ready, Grading, and Online Data
Many school districts use Curriculum Associates i-Ready in their classrooms for reading and math, but there appears to be program murkiness. There’s concern that teachers might rely on iReady data for grading rather than their professional expertise. I-Ready provides teachers with data reports of student results, but teachers never see the child’s online responses. They […]
10 Ways to Help Children ENJOY Reading!
The focus for children learning to read, sometimes undervalued by those concerned about phonics, is instilling a joy of reading. The ultimate goal should be that children are able to read and like it. Phonics is important, especially when children have reading disabilities, but it shouldn’t stand alone. Science of Reading (SoR) supporters will argue that […]
Kindergarten Online Data? Teacher Observation is Safer and Better!
Making kindergartners participate in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is a strange idea, and collecting data about kindergartners is worrisome. What’s the purpose? President of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute and Hoover Institute research fellow and public school critic Michael Petrilli believes testing kindergartners online is easier than having them sit still long enough […]
Are Education Secretary Cardona and Betsy Devos Twins?
Teachers had hope when President Biden chose Miguel Cardona to be education secretary, an educator, that he’d be different from the billionaire corporate shill, protector from grizzly bears, and school choice proponent Betsy DeVos. There’s still hope for that, but there are also reasons to wonder. Cardona’s reactions to the Covid crisis seem eerily like […]
15 Ways to Help Teachers During Covid, Instead of Turning Them Into Scapegoats and Making Them Quit
Teachers are continually being made into scapegoats over a virus not under their control. Here’s a list of classroom problems from the beginning of the pandemic. Here’s a checklist on how to quit scapegoating teachers and help them instead. Suggestions from teachers, parents, and students, especially teachers currently teaching, are welcome. 1. Doctors Since the […]
Fears and Confusion About In-Person School Going Into 2022.
It’s impossible to avoid the news involving Covid confusion and fear surrounding schools and safety for children, teachers, and staff entering the New Year. The looming question is whether K-12 in-person schooling is safe. It’s presumptuous to tell teachers not to be afraid. Teachers want to keep their students safe. They don’t want to get […]