They took all the trees And put them in a tree museum And they charged all the people A dollar and a half to see ’em Don’t it always seem to go That you don’t know what you’ve got ‘Till it’s gone They paved paradise And they put up a parking lot ~Joni Mitchell, Big […]
Reasons Children Have Reading Problems that Corporate Reformers Don’t Talk About
We know of many variables that help children learn to read. But well-designed peer-reviewed research continues to be ignored when it comes to these variables. At the same time, states and school districts continue to promote destructive school policies. We know such policies fail. So, why are they still being used? Here’s why some children […]
Teacher Age Discrimination Hurts Students!
Rejecting veteran teachers to keep them from moving up the ladder for pay increases means students miss out on getting to know and learn from elderly people. Teach for America is popular because they remain at the bottom rung of the funding ladder and leave after a few years. This creates a revolving door of […]
Love OUR Public Schools: Children & Their Teachers!
On this one-year anniversary of the shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School, I am remembering the students and their parents and teachers, especially those who lost loved ones. MSD represents a great public school. Beyond the sadness of that day, we saw what a good public school can be. We saw loving, supportive parents. […]
Showcasing Tolerance and Kindness in America’s Public School Students Through Their Writings
Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. ~Martin Luther King, Jr. On this Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, I thought it would be nice to promote children and teens around the country who have demonstrated tolerance and kindness through essays. Our public schools and public school teachers nurture that hope. Our children learn from […]
School Choice Deception: Florida’s Plan and Students Who Don’t Measure Up
Florida is a bellwether state. What happens to schools there will move to other states in one form or another. I would like to share a personal story of how I met school choice as a teacher in Florida and how it helped cement in me the desire to advocate for a public school system […]
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 […]