Where did all the special education teachers go? Special education teachers who study and address the unique differences in students are really a part of the whole learning puzzle—necessary to a student’s future success. But alas, special education teachers are falling by the wayside. Time to update this post. In Washington State they are using […]
Using Teacher Shortage Talk to Justify Online Instruction
A few weeks ago Nick Morrison wrote an article for Forbes titled “Sleepwalking Our Way into the Teacher-Less Classroom.” He insists that technology, specifically the takeover by online instruction in schools, is not the real danger facing education. Instead, he claims it is a teacher shortage. According to Morrison, teachers leave due to pressure, and […]
H.S. Future Teachers Being Prepped for Common Core and Competency-Based Education
We hear we have a serious problem finding teachers for America’s classrooms. One solution is to encourage students in high school to become career teachers. Young people are full of vibrant ideas and high school should be considered a valuable place for teacher recruitment. I am not saying we should push students to be teachers, […]
Does the Every Student Succeeds Act MASK No Child Left Behind?
The ESSA has been difficult for most of us to interpret—although it is clear the U.S. Department of Education will now back out of a lot of school business. Still, in reading how the states will now be almost completely in charge, one wonders how NCLB will change. How many of us have states that […]
The President’s Turnaround ARTS Program Is Unfair!
Every child in every public school in America deserves access to the arts, and legitimate art classes, which include real credentialed art teachers! In 2012, President Obama announced an Arts Education Plan called Turnaround ARTS. The program, which was to cost $14.7 million over three years, was to establish an intense art program for children […]
Excellence not Success
By Sarah Davies Waiting in the doctor’s office today, my oldest asked what I was reading. When I told her it was Guy Claxton’s What’s the Point of School?, she looked confused. “Mommy, I know what the point of school is. Why do you need to read a book on it? It’s to learn and […]
Political Pawns—The Real Equality Problem Girls Face
A gender-equal society would be one where the word ‘gender’ does not exist: where everyone can be themselves. Gloria Steinem To be a girl today is still paved with obstacles due to gender differences. Girls are not always valued for their thoughts and ideas. While in politics we mostly hear about job and wage inequality, […]
What Happens to Artists Who Aren’t Good Readers?
Imagine children in public schools today, who do not read well, but who are undiscovered, gifted artists. They are continually drilled in reading and get few opportunities to express themselves artistically. In some schools, if a student does not test well in reading they do not get to be in the band, or they are […]
The Disregard of K-12 Education in Presidential Debates
If you are a parent or an educator and expect to hear something about K-12 education out of any of the Presidential candidates in their debates or fireside chats you will be sorely disappointed. How we school our children is one of the most important issues of our day, and yet when do we hear […]
“Cross Pollinating” Special and General Education Teachers
Can one teacher effectively teach students with a variety of disability and/or language needs? Or do we need special education teachers? Perhaps a better question is, can computers do the job of both regular and special education teachers? Here is an example of what I am talking about. This ad appeared for a webinar through […]