It doesn’t matter how much trouble Mark Zuckerberg might appear to be in with Facebook, he and his wife still find time to mess with education and give elitist advice to teachers. Their latest initiative is to claim teachers need to learn brain science. They’re donating $1 million to Neuroteach Global, an online PD platform created […]
Personalized (Online) Learning Fails at Classroom Dynamics and Socialization
Let’s get together, yeah yeah yeah Think of all that we could sha-are Let’s get together everyday Every way and everywhere And though we haven’t got a lot We could be sharin’ all we’ve got Together ~Haley Mills, From Walt Disney’s The Parent Trap The public school classroom is a sacred community. How students socialize in […]
Thanksgiving: Family, Friends, Teachers, HOPE, and Public Schools
Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. It involves family and friends and is rather unassuming, tucked between the shenanigans of Halloween and the solemn, yet frenetic, Christmas rush. We especially remember those suffering loss today. The tables that aren’t whole due to empty chairs. Loss is a burden on a day to give thanks. […]
“Disruption” Using Technology is Dangerous to Child Development and Public Education
Public schools continuously change to keep up with progress. Technology has much to offer. But the idea that instruction should be disrupted using technology is putting students and the country at risk. It destroys the public school curriculum that has managed to educate the masses for decades. Disruption is a troubling word when referring to […]
How Funding Cuts to Public Schools Hurt Private and Parochial Students with Special Needs
Should public school districts be responsible for special education services of students in private and parochial schools? How do they manage this when they have financial problems serving the students who need special education services in public schools? I am not referring to special education vouchers which some states provide students when the special education […]
Articles about “Reading Wars” Meant to Divide Teachers and Parents!
A wave of recent articles about reading trick parents and educators into thinking teachers are not teaching reading and are not being trained to teach reading correctly. The opinion pieces are written by journalist Emily Hanford. Warning! Corporate reform fingerprints are all over these articles. Could it be about transforming classrooms to technology, where students […]
Halloween and The Value of Make-Believe to Reading and Emotional Development
It is not mere childish escapism. There is a political aspect to it – we won’t try to change this world unless we are able to imagine another reality. One could say all change starts with fantasy. ~Cornelia Funke, German author of children’s fiction. Here comes Halloween! Parents and teachers sometimes dread Halloween, the candy […]
The Dangers of SEL Assessment Data to Students with LD Social Disabilities and Autism
Today, I would like to bring attention to the dangers of social-emotional learning assessment to a segment of our student population. The focus on behavior is becoming the new purpose of school, and that alone should raise questions. School boards, PTA’s, and school organizations should be discussing how these curriculum changes impact what and how […]
Will Teachers Be Accountable to Make “Happy” Students?
Here comes VAM for social-emotional learning! Controversy erupted years ago over holding teachers accountable for academic test scores. VAM (Value Added Measurement) was supposed to have been put to rest, but it never really left. Move over VAM, now teachers will be responsible for student behavior too! Back in June, Peter Greene, writing for Forbes […]
Failing Public School Infrastructure Makes Way for Microenvironments
…the nation continues to underinvest in school facilities, leaving an estimated $38 billion annual gap. ~2017 Infrastructure Report on Schools by the American Society of Civil Engineers. Classrooms or microenvironments? For years, the condition of public school facilities has received D ratings from the American Society of Civil Engineers. They claim the gap in funding […]