The “Do Now”
It is referred to variously as a Do Now or a Warm-up or, if you are a hard-core edu-dork, an Activator. There may be other regional variants. And if you are a vice principal who is really intent on showing how out of touch you are, you can require teachers to engage in these at [...]
Teachbad Sings: “Watch You Drown”
Hi, Folks- Mr. Teachbad has written a new song. I am aware that the bulk of my talent allotment has not been delivered in the form of singing, guitar-playing or song-writing abilities. So, once again, I have decided to combine all three into a one-stop wonder of mediocrity. Just for you. Watch You Drown Every [...]
I Hope You Are Settling In
By now everybody is back to work. Some have been at it for a long time already. I hope you are all settling in alright. Many of you are probably still stinging, sore and swollen from the many days of indoctrination and team-building to which you have recently been subjected. It takes time to heal. [...]
Respect Individuality (No, Silly, Not Yours)
What would happen if you told Dracula that you really needed him to stumble around a shopping mall all day long and eat human brains? He’d tell you to stick it up your ass, that’s what. I sleep all day, yo. I get up a little after dusk. Shower. Read the paper. I clean up [...]
Teachbad and Jay Mathews: Part 2
To fully appreciate this post, you should probably take a quick look at the last post if you have not already. This is the continuation of a dialogue between myself and Jay Mathews, education writer at the Washington Post, about the school where I formerly taught, Columbia Heights Education Campus(CHEC). (I promise the next post [...]
Teachbad and Jay Mathews: Part I
Happy Back to School time to everybody. I’m sorry. Do you know what you need? A good read and some magnets. Last week Jay Mathews at the Washington Post ran a piece, not exactly about me, but using me as an example in order to propose an argument. It was called Maybe Schools Shouldn’t Work [...]
Out of a Job; In the News
The jig is up The news is out They finally found me The Renegade who had it made Retrieved for the bounty Nevermore to go astray This’ll be the end today Of the wanted man That’s how Mr. Teachbad feels today. But tomorrow is a new day. And in about two weeks, teachers will be [...]