Sheila posted this exactly two years ago and her words are still stunning. The post has been recirculating and I wanted to highlight it. Many thanks to Sheila Resseger for her passionate and pointed writing. By Sheila Resseger, M.A. Instead of seeing these children for the blessings that they are, we are measuring them only […]
The Lopsided Curriculum: Where are Science, Social Studies and the Arts?
Little children are like sponges, soaking up knowledge of the world around them every minute. So when they start formal education, how much science, social studies and the arts do students in elementary school get? Teaching these subjects used to be important. Learning in these areas sent some of us into our future professions. We […]
Destroying Special Education through Common Core Testing and Funding Cuts
How are things going with these special education cuts after time has gone by? I’m looking at what’s happening currently. Let me know of any program cuts in your school district and I will write about them. This was originally posted August 25, 2015. ___________________________________________ Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and […]
The Stealth Campaign Against Public Schools and the Public Space
By Sheila Resseger, M.A. Instead of seeing these children for the blessings that they are, we are measuring them only by the standard of whether they will be future deficits or assets for our nation’s competitive needs. Jonathan Kozol Our children, our families, our neighborhoods, our public schools, and our democracy itself have become pawns […]
Computer Essay Grading v. Student Journals
The beauty of being an English or language arts teacher is helping students develop the skill of writing. Next to learning how to read, learning how to express your ideas through writing is a valuable form of communication. And in today’s world, being able to communicate and relate to others is more critical than ever. […]
So Now You Can Read the PARCC and Smarter Balanced Tests to Students with Disabilities?
Ed. Week is having a live chat this Thursday afternoon, 3 to 4 ET, to discuss PARCC and Smarter Balanced accommodations for students with disabilities. They say this assessment will “offer the promise of more inclusion and self-sufficiency for students with special needs and English-language learners.” How any assessment is going to do all that […]
Students Miss Out On Today With Common Core Standards and PARCC
Last May a book came out called Happy Money: The Science of Smarter Spending. The authors discuss how people work hard so they will be happy later in life. Some put themselves through great drudgery in jobs they can’t stand, commuting and working long hours. They also stay in awful jobs much longer than they […]