Lately there is a lot of talk about students getting fit after two decades or more of eliminating recess. With obesity, diabetes and ADHD on the rise, adults thought, hmm, maybe there could be a connection with inactivity. The conundrum is how to squeeze physical fitness in because no one wants to let go of […]
“Never Trust Tests!”—Yesterday, Today and Forever!
I was cleaning out a filing cabinet the other day and ran across some old reports I did for a class I took in college. The course taught us how to administer various tests to students with learning disabilities. We also learned how to interpret test results presented to us by the school psychologist. Teachers […]
What I Wish Corporate Money Would Pay For When it Comes to Public Schools
Do you ever think about what the so-called philanthropists could fund instead of all the privatizy, reformy, ideas that are damaging and pricey? Instead of CCSS/PARCC, DIBELS, teacher meddling, TNTP, TFA, NLNS,NCLB, and RTTT etc. etc. What ideas do you have for Mr. and Mrs. Corporation to really help America fund a great public school […]
The Public School System—Happy Labor Day!
This Labor Day, I pay tribute to everyone who works in the Public School System. A lot of critical jobs are lost when public schools close and changes are made to a school district. I am thinking Philadelphia here, although there are many other school districts which have changed drastically. A lot of these positions […]
The Strange New Education Vocabulary List
This week I heard several educators and parents mention the strange vocabulary being used in public schools these days. So I got out the vocabulary list I’ve been collecting for several years called The Strange New Education Vocabulary List. Many of these words come from business or the military and seem strangely cold in reference […]
Head Start and the Hunger Games
CNN Money reported that 57,000 children will lose out on Head Start due to the Sequester and $85 billion in federal budget cuts. Head Start staffers, some who are parents of the children, will see pay cuts or be fired. http://money.cnn.com/2013/08/19/news/economy/headstart-funding-cuts/ One would think preschool for the poor would be improving. But maybe when […]
Schools to Shelter Children
I said I would write about games for children. But I am going to hold off with that because too much is in the way. Today I am driven to writing about the poor children living in Moore, Oklahoma. They headed back to school today. Or what’s left of their schools. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/08/15/moore-tornado-plaza-towers-elementary-school-students/2660593/ Parents there are […]
Olga Jarrett and the Importance of Play
Today I thought I’d mention Dr. Olga Jarrett and how she has contributed so much to the child’s world of play. She has done serious research about child development and she especially recognizes the importance of socialization. I find socialization to be a serious casualty of the current reform movement in our public schools. Dr. […]
Flipping
On a Southwest flight the other day, I noticed the feature article in their magazine was about flipping the classroom. I wonder how many teachers are doing this and what they think about it–really. I am rather cynical about new reforms (as is evident by my book title), especially when they have catchy names. But […]
Remembering Dr. Bracey in All the Public School Turmoil
I was thinking the other day about Gerald Bracey. Dr. Bracey is always an inspiration and a researcher who knew how to help the rest of us make sense of information, often in upbeat, even humorous ways. I own almost all of his books. The ones about research were and still are very informative. And […]