On a code of conduct and ethics for teachers
Some interesting interactions with a quickie I put up the other day on a practice sheet for Kindergarteners to teach them how to bubble properly. Our own Chris Cerrone made another contribution in this regard. I won’t say that having children fill in bubbles, or even test preparation, is akin to child abuse. That diminishes the […]
Of Babies and Bathwater: Can We Separate the Common Core, Various Materials, and Assessments?
Back in the ’90s, when the Math Wars raged (and they still do), I thought that if only the US Dept. of Ed was like the Ministry of Education in Japan, and could impose a national curriculum in mathematics, with a well-organized method of getting feedback on a lesson-by-lesson basis, fed through carefully-constructed local, state, […]
Where in the World is The Indignant Teacher???
I am in Dubai…in the middle of the Middle East – United Arab Emirates, to be exact. Communication with the western world has been difficult, at best, and this is not in any way helping the homesickness!! Not quite sure where to begin this post… Life here over the other side of the world […]
Political Cowardice Is Political Courage
In the opening pages of George Orwell’s 1984, readers are introduced to Oceania along with the work and world of Winston Smith: Winston kept his back turned to the telescreen. It was safer; though, as he well knew, even a back can be revealing. A kilometer away the Ministry of Truth, his place of work, […]
Is This Why AFT Leadership Sold Its Members Up The Common Core River?
It’s pretty widely known by now that American Federation of Teachers (AFT) received funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, leading many to question the motives of AFT leadership in their silent acquiescence to the gods of Common Core. But apparently there may be more reasons as well. My friend and trusted colleague Bess Altwerger […]
10-27-13 @ The Chalk Face
@ THE CHALK FACE: Can leaders be activists?I have been very critical of just about every implementation facet of the common core standards and I have always but forth the reasons for my criticism. The standards were not developed with input from experts. Teachers, childhood development specialists and parents were supposedly “consulted” but the actual work was done by a secret panel—and […]42 by T