For Auld Lang Syne
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The words "for auld lang syne" translate into modern English as something
like, "for old time's sake." The song we sing on New Year's Eve is a
Scottish ...
In-Person Schooling and Juvenile Violence
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While investments in schooling generate large private and external
returns, negative peer interactions in school may generate substantial
social costs. ...
Retiree Advocate is running as part of ARISE
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December 29, 2024 Retiree Advocate is running in the Spring 2025 UFT
election… as part of a coalition: ARISE ARISE – the Alliance of Retired and
In Service...
MEMES THAT MADE ME LAUGH TODAY 12-29
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*MEMES THAT MADE ME LAUGH TODAY 12-29*
Big Education Ape: HAIRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAIRY HANUKKAH TOO!
https://biged...
ICYMI: Hatches Battening Edition (12/29)
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It's a curious moment. 2025 will arrive shortly, and we have no idea what,
exactly, it's going to bring. Something. Probably more than a few ugly and
unple...
Poem: the floor fell out from under us (redolent)
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[Header Photo by Emma Frances Logan on Unsplash] I wanted to get rid of
everything redolent of the past The City and Its Uncertain Walls, Haruki
Murakami T...
US Student Math Scores Plummet
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From the education blog, Chalkbeat:
*U.S. fourth graders saw their math scores drop steeply between 2019 and
2023 on a key international test even as mo...
Whiplash: Worst Teacher Movie Ever
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If you’ve been paying attention to the DOGE Brothers—Elon-n-Vivek—lately,
as they explain their personal theories around the failures of American
parents t...
Brushing Up on Polio.
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When the New York Times article, “Lawyer, Author and TikTok Star Spent 72
Years in an Iron Lung,” was published in March 2024, it did not hold the
same mea...
Christmas Miracles
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“People don’t want children to know what they need to know. They want their
kids to know what they ought to need to know. If you’re a teacher you’re in
a c...
Perhaps this is a meaningless ramble
-
but I am choosing to reflect on a number of disparate topics that are
currently on my mind. Perhaps I should start by explaining that I have been
at leas...
80 years old today!!
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It’s true: I’m 80 years old today! When I was 24, I thought making it to 30
would be a miracle–it was and it is. Keep rising, keep fighting for a world
at ...
December Parent Engagement Resources
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Parent involvement in schools ⬆️. 87% of K–12 students from
English-speaking families had parents who reported attending a general
school meeting in 2019, ...
The 2024 NPE “Coal in the Stocking” Awards
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At NPE, we know who is naughty and nice when it comes to supporting our
public schools and their students.
The post The 2024 NPE “Coal in the Stocking” A...
Juntos lo haremos
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En el año que viene, tendremos que tomar decisiones difíciles sobre quienes
queremos ser en cada comunidad y como nación. Ha sido un año muy intenso.
Desde...
WTF, Democratic Caucus?
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Why is the failure of this current budget bill being blamed on Republicans
when almost every single Democrat voted against it? If only half of the
Dems had...
San Diego School Board Election Outcomes
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By Thomas Ultican 12/17/2024 Before the recent election, I wrote
recommendations for several school board seats in San Diego County. The San
Diego County R...
SPI Supports SB 48 to Keep ICE Off School Campuses
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State Superintendent Tony Thurmond sponsors Senate Bill 48 to keep
Immigration and Customs Enforcement off of school campuses, protecting
school attendance...
Schrödinger’s Cat
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Schrödinger’s cat is a famous thought experiment in which the renowned
scientist pondered how a cat in a closed box could be thought of as
simultaneously a...
In Memoriam: Nikki Giovanni
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The literary and cultural world has lost an irreplaceable voice with the
passing of Nikki Giovanni. As one of the most celebrated poets and
activists of ou...
Education Has Failed and What Can We Do Next?
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Education has failed to prepare children for the world today. Despite the
increased investment, impactful reforms, hardworking teachers and school
leaders,...
Defining Productivity, Cost, and Efficiency
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Recycled material here… The central problem with US public schools is often
characterized as an efficiency problem. We spend a lot and don’t get much
for i...
Number 18 — A barely-hanging-on Blogoversary
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Blogoversary #18 SEPTEMBER 14, 2006 I started this blog while I was still
teaching, in 2006. I had just begun my 31st year as an educator. Just like
in pre...
Student "Growth" Measures Are STILL Biased
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This caught my attention:
New Jersey school districts may soon be evaluated differently, *with a
greater emphasis on student growth* as compared to stud...
AIN’T IT AWFUL
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As the terrible feelings of dread and angst spread across the world the
great majority of the American people feel powerless before the onslaught
of those ...
The Sky is Falling, or is it?
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Well, this is the first anniversary of the introduction of Generative AI in
the form of ChatGPT to the world of education. Before it was a week old,
over o...
Vote NO on the UFT Contract. Here is Why:
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The best reason to vote no on this contract is this: UFT Unity* lied* to us
in 2018. They misrepresented that contract. It was predicated on deals we
wer...
Metaphors in ‘I Have a Dream’ Speech
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In this article, we will explore the powerful use of metaphors in Martin
Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” ...
Read more
Testimony to the CPS Truancy Task Force
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I prepared testimony for one of two public hearings held by the Chicago
Public Schools Truancy Task Force, a body mandated by state legislation.
The meetin...
There Is A Teacher Shortage.Not.
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THERE IS A TEACHER SHORTAGE. And just to be sure you understand, it’s not
that teachers don’t want to teach. It’s not that there aren’t enough
teachers cer...
Book Banning Turns to Dick and Jane
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Breaking News: Dateline February 4, 2022 - Parents in Dimwitty, Alabama
have asked the Dimwitty Board of Education to ban the children's primer *Fun
with...
Have You Heard Has a New Website
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TweetHave You Heard has a new website. Visit us at
www.haveyouheardpodcast.com to find our latest episodes and our entire
archive. And be sure to check out...
Follow me at Substack
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I've moved. Follow me at Substack
I'm now posting regularly at Substack. You can subscribe for free to my new
Edu/Pol blog at michaelklonsky.substack.com
...
Aspiring Teachers Get New Help Paying For College
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[image: colorful classroom pattern]
*; Credit: shuoshu/Getty Images*
Cory Turner | NPR
New rules kick in today that will help aspiring teachers pay for c...
Tips Akses Situs Judi Qq Tanpa Perlu Takut Nawala
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Kegiatan berjudi slot melalui situs judi qq online, sekarang sudah
dilakukan oleh banyak penjudi Indonesia. Tentu, Kamu yang sedang membaca
artikel ini a...
The Threat of Integration
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I have lived in the same house in the Miracle Mile section of Los Angeles
for over 30 years, where up until now I have had little or no interaction
with th...
We fight for a democracy worthy of us all!
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The nation stands at a crossroads, said NEA President Lily Eskelsen García
in her final keynote address to the 2020 NEA Representative Assembly and
it’s up...
The Passing Of Chaz 1951-2020 Age 69
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I am the son of Chaz and like to inform you that he passed away this
afternoon from the COVID virus. My father passed in peace beside his loved
ones. We ar...
The Fight For Our Children
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*The number of suicides among people ages 10 to 24 nationally increased by
56 percent between 2007 and 2017, according to a new federal report showing
the ...
Read to Self: Just a Kid and a Book.
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Date: Monday, January 5, 2020 Place: My classroom Student: Mrs.Mims, could
we start doing Read to Self again because I got this great book for
Christmas an...
Keeping Progressive Schools Alive
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Dear Friends and Colleagues, Happy New Year and a special thanks to those
who respond to past blogs about choice, et al. I always mean to respond to
each c...
Reminiscences
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I just finished dumping the rest of my lesson plans. I guess I held on to
the calculus ones for so long because I spent so much time working on them
an...
Just Asking for some Teachers I know.
-
Recently Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers stated, We must … recognize that
part of supporting our kids in the classroom means supporting the educators
who t...
Cara Menang Bermain Judi Bola Online
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Bermain judi bola online tentu saja memiliki kesenangannya tersendiri baik
itu mendapatkan keuntungan maupun ketika menantikan hasil skor pada sebuah
perta...
A Critique of Standards-Based Grading
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It first happened to me about ten years ago. I was beginning my third year
of teaching in a new school in Washington, DC. Social studies teachers were
si...
My First and Last Visit to Hudson Yards
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Figuring I did not need to invite any more darkness and vulgarity into my
head than that provided on a daily basis from Trump’s White House, and
after read...
The World According to Michelle Rhee
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The men behind the curtain fashioning the brave new world of corporate run
education in America! Michelle Rhee is the founder of StudentsFirst, The
New T...
Whose Opinions Matter in Education World?
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It's hard to identify education heroes and sheroes. And perhaps even harder
to pinpoint just whose work is slanted, paid-for and dishonest.
Blockchain: Life on the Ledger
-
Originally posted on Wrench in the Gears:
I created this video as a follow up to the one I prepared last year on
Social Impact Bonds. It is time to examine...
New Local Businesses in Sacramento
-
Starting a new local business in Sacramento is a monumental task, but can
be accomplished with footwork, perseverance and knowledge. One must learn
the loc...
Lesson Plan: Rhyme and Rhythm in Poetry
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I’ve started a recent unit on poetry with my class. I’m not a poet, and I’m
not a poetry fan (I don’t hate it, but I’m a prose gal), so this makes it
harde...
The Apotheosis of Betsy DeVos
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Betsy Devos has drawn few headlines in recent months, and that is a good
thing for the Secretary of Education. Her tenure began with Vice President
Mike P...
Education Is a Civic Question
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In their final post to end Bridging Differences' decade-long run, Deborah
Meier and Harry Boyte urge readers to put the energy, talents, wisdom, and
hard w...
Site News: New Home for Education News & Commentary
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Quick! Get over there! The daily education news roundup and education
commentaries that you're probably looking for are now being published over
at The Gra...
Should We Be Grateful?
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In an odd turn of events, and with little explanation, Michigan Governor
Rick Snyder has decided to return the state’s School Reform Office back to
the Dep...
An Open Letter to NC Lawmakers
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An Open Letter to NC State Lawmakers and NC State Superintendent Mark
Johnson: I am a NC native, voter, and public school teacher. I am
addressing you all ...
The Secret to Fixing Schools (My Next Bestseller)
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The Secret to Fixing Schools (My next bestseller) Prologue I just finished
watching a fascinating documentary on Netflix entitled, “The Secret”. The
film p...
Farewell, Sleep
-
Today is the official last day of my spring break. I've done a scientific
survey: My natural bedtime is 2 AM, and my natural wake up time is 9:41
AM. Tom...
REPORT: States With the Best and Worst Schools
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States With the Best (and Worst)Schools
By *Evan Comen, Michael B. Sauter, Samuel Stebbins and Thomas C. Frohlich*
January 20, 2017- http://247wallst.com
...
Test Refusal = People Power
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In recent months, social media has been ablaze with talk of regular folk
taking action to resist the Trump agenda. Protests are a daily occurrence,
and ev...
Random Musings and Observations. . . .
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I’ve been gone a while from the blogging scene. Some of my more regular
readers no doubt noticed but did not hassle me about it. Thank you for
that. Sinc...
AB 934: A LEGISLATIVE FIX FOR VERGARA?
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By Michael Stratford | in the Politco Morning Education Report | via email
05/24/2016 10:00 AM EDT :: Two national education groups are backing a
Califor...
MY NEW BLOG
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My new blog will consist of fictitious headlines, meant to be a blend of
humor and satire. I apologize ahead of time if any other satirical site has
simila...
Thank you
-
Dear Readers,
Thank you for visiting *The Perimeter Primate*. This blog is being retired
for the time being. Although I no longer post here, I do still s...
I am Retiring
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I have some news: I am retiring from the PBS NewsHour and Learning Matters.
[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other
conte...
New Beginnings: Kickstarter and EdWeek Teacher
-
Greetings to InterACT readers one and all! If you’ve been following posts
here recently you might recall that I’m moving my blogging activity to
other loca...
Adelaide L. Sanford Charter School
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*“With Adelaide L. Sanford Charter School closing, Newark families must
move on.”* The Star-Ledger (NJ), 6/25/2013
NEWARK — Bobby and Troy Shanks saw the...
BiljaST / Pixabay Five years ago I began this regular feature where I share a few posts and resources from around the Web related to ESL/EFL or to language in general that have caught my attention. You might also be interested in THE BEST RESOURCES, ARTICLES & BLOG POSTS FOR TEACHERS OF ELLS IN 2019 – PART ONE. . Also, check out A Collection Of My Best Resources On Teaching English Language Learn
OpenClipart-Vectors / Pixabay I’m adding this new video from Voice of America to The Best Resources Sharing The History Of Teens Organizing For Justice :
I thought the summer might be a good time to re-share posts from My All-Time Favorite Posts! list… This post originally appeared in 2018. During my nineteen year career as a community organizer, we spent a lot of time talking about religious congregations, labor unions, neighborhood organizations and schools as “mediating institutions” (page 699). These are groups that “mediate” between individua
Earlier this week, I posted about the amazing interactive published by The New York Times recognizing the introduction of enslaved Africans to America (see Amazing NY Times Project On The 400th Anniversary Of The Beginning Of Slavery In America ). The Pulitzer Center has now announced an accompanying set of lesson plans to the Times project. Check out The 1619 Project Curriculum . At the same tim
Quite a few institutions are “crowdsourcing” historical documents so that the public can help transcribe them – thereby making them searchable and readable. You can see a list of them at The Best Sites Where Students Can Transcribe Historical Texts . Now, the Boston Library is “getting into the act” by inviting the public’s help in transcribing “Antislavery Manuscripts” – correspondence between a
I’m fairly active on Pinterest and, in fact, have curated 19,000 resources there that I haven’t shared on this blog. I thought readers might find it useful if I began sharing a handful of my most recent “pins” each week (I’m not sure if you can see them through an RSS Reader – you might have to click through to the original post). You might also be interested in My Seven Most Popular Pins In 2018
I thought the summer might be a good time to re-share posts from My All-Time Favorite Posts! list… This post originally appeared in 2018. mohamed_hassan / Pixabay Earlier this summer, I was asked to share advice to the over two hundred students entering the Sacramento State University teacher credentialing program. I shared one thing: Use inquiry, not judgment. I told them that they might very we
johnhain / Pixabay A fair amount of research has been coming out highlighting the importance of students feeling a sense of “belonging” at school, and I’ve previously shared quite a bit of it. Today, Ed Week wrote about yet another piece of research (see Students Who Feel They Belong Are Less Likely to Bully, Study Finds ) and I decided it was finally time to create a related “Best” list. I’m add
Less than twenty-four hours after unveiling two major new tools to help teachers and students (see GOOGLE UNVEILS TWO BIG TOOLS FOR SCHOOLS: “ASSIGNMENTS” & “ORIGINALITY REPORTS” ), Google announced yet another one. They gave Socratic , an app they had bought, a big Artificial Intelligence upgrade, and it sounds like it can do a lot (read more at Google’s post, When students get stuck, Socratic c
Six years ago, in another somewhat futile attempt to reduce the backlog of resources I want to share, I began this occasional “” post where I share three or four links I think are particularly useful and related to…ed tech, including some Web 2.0 apps. You might also be interested in THE BEST ED TECH RESOURCES OF 2019 – PART ONE , as well as checking out all my edtech resources . You might also w
What Is the Funniest Thing That Has Ever Happened in Your Classroom? is the new question-of-the-week at my Ed Week Teacher column. Feel free to leave responses in the comments section there or here…
I thought the summer might be a good time to re-share posts from My All-Time Favorite Posts! list… This post originally appeared in 2017. I have often shared links to Education Week posts by Walt Gardner in this blog. His pieces are short, to-the-point, and often, in my opinion, right on target. However, I have to say that I was shocked and appalled by his latest post, The ‘Racial Equity’ Obsessi
ulleo / Pixabay “A Hidden Life” opens in theaters in December. Here is how it’s described: Based on real events, from visionary writer-director Terrence Malick, A HIDDEN LIFE is the story of an unsung hero, Franz Jägerstätter, who refused to fight for the Nazis in World War II. When the Austrian peasant farmer is faced with the threat of execution for treason, it is his unwavering faith and his l
I’m making a change in the content of the regular feature. In addition to sharing the top five posts that have received the most “hits” in the preceding seven days (though they may have originally been published on an earlier date), I will also include the top five posts that have actually appeared in the past week. Often, these are different posts. You might also be interested in IT’S THE TWELFT
377053 / Pixabay Google made two big announcements today. I don’t think I can give an accurate description of Assignments, which is why I’ll just link to some other articles and embed a video about it below. It seems to me possibly like a way to assign and grade work if you don’t want to go through the trouble of creating a Google Classroom (it connects to your Google Drive and Docs) but, again,
Q&A Collections: Writing Instruction is the headline of my latest Education Week Teacher column. All Classroom Q&A posts offering advice on Writing Instruction (from the past eight years!) are described and linked to in this compilation post. Here’s an excerpt from one of them:
I thought the summer might be a good time to re-share posts from My All-Time Favorite Posts! list… This post originally appeared in 2016. Two days after Ben Carson suggested that Saul Alinsky was, and Hillary Clinton is, a devil worshiper , the KQED Mindshift blog published an interview with me about how I apply his work in the classroom. Check out Books Teachers Share: Larry Ferlazzo and Rules f
Author Interview: ‘Working Hard, Working Happy’ is the headline of my latest Education Week Teacher column. In it, Rita Platt agreed to answer a few questions about her new book, “Working Hard, Working Happy: Cultivating a Culture of Effort and Joy in the Classroom.” Here are some excerpts:
KlausHausmann / Pixabay The 1619 Project from The NY Times is edited by Nikole Hannah-Jones, and is an amazing interactive: The 1619 Project is a major initiative from The New York Times observing the 400th anniversary of the beginning of American slavery. It aims to reframe the country’s history, understanding 1619 as our true founding, and placing the consequences of slavery and the contributio
Each week, I publish a post or two containing three or four particularly useful resources on classroom instruction, and you can see them all here. You might also be interested in THE BEST RESOURCES ON CLASS INSTRUCTION IN 2019 – PART ONE. Here are this week’s picks: Tips for ‘Floating’ Teachers: How to Survive Without a Classroom of Your Own is from Ed Week. Getting to Know Our Students is by Ric
I thought the summer might be a good time to re-share posts from My All-Time Favorite Posts! list… This post originally appeared in 2017. You can see other videos, including a series Katie Hull and I did on differentiated instruction, here . Look for a series on student motivation appeared on the Ed Week site in the fall. In preparation for a series I did for them, I worked with Education Week to
Free-Photos / Pixabay In yet another attack on immigrants, the Trump administration announced today penalties against documented immigrants if they utilize public benefits they are legally entitled to… And, if teachers don’t think this will affect us and our students, check out this tweet: Real world impact of the public charge regulation from today: multiple clients calling my office today to as
is the headline of my latest Education Week Teacher column. In it, Rita Platt, Penny Sweeney, and Ann Neary provide their thoughts on collaboration ideas for teachers and school librarians. Here are some excerpts:
geralt / Pixabay This new animated video is pretty intriguing. Though it doesn’t really use the term “growth mindset,” it talks about the concept using a slightly different perspective using research on “the locus of control.” It basically means that by praising effort instead of natural ability, motivation is increased because it is within the person’s control. Obviously, not everything is withi
I’ve recently begun this weekly post where I’ll be sharing resources I’m adding to The Best Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Resources or other related “Best” lists. You might also be interested in THE BEST SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING RESOURCES OF 2019 – PART ONE Finally, check out “Best” Lists Of The Week: Social Emotional Learning Resources . Here are this week’s picks: Extrinsic Motivation: It Mi
I thought the summer might be a good time to re-share posts from My All-Time Favorite Posts! list… This post originally appeared in 2013. Daniel Pink interviewed me, and my wife, for one of his books. I thought readers might find this reflection useful as it connects my community organizing career with teaching:
Here are some recent useful posts and articles on educational policy issues (You might also be interested in THE BEST ARTICLES, VIDEOS & POSTS ON EDUCATION POLICY IN 2019 – PART ONE ): Chicago teachers are threatening to strike against new Mayor Lori Lightfoot. Here’s why. is from Salon. Charter schools in some cities enroll few students mid-year. Here’s why that matters. is from Chalkbeat. I’m a
BiljaST / Pixabay Five years ago I began this regular feature where I share a few posts and resources from around the Web related to ESL/EFL or to language in general that have caught my attention. You might also be interested in THE BEST RESOURCES, ARTICLES & BLOG POSTS FOR TEACHERS OF ELLS IN 2019 – PART ONE. . Also, check out A Collection Of My Best Resources On Teaching English Language Learn
is the headline of my latest Education Week Teacher column. In it, Teresa Diaz, Bud Hunt, Marci K. Harvey, Jennifer Orr, and Jen Schwanke offer their suggestions about how teachers and librarians can work best together. Here are some excerpts:
I’m adding these new resources to various “Best” lists. You can find links to all of those many lists that relate to race and racism at “Best” Lists Of The Week: Resources For Teaching & Learning About Race & Racism: You don’t want to miss this interview with Gloria Ladson Billings that appeared in The 74. Here’s an excerpt: I’m adding it to The Best Resources About “Culturally Responsive Teachin
Konevi / Pixabay Millions of Muslims make the annual pilgrimage, called the Hajj, to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. This year, it began on Friday and will continue to Wednesday. You might be interested in The Best Sites To Learn And Teach About The Hajj .
I thought the summer might be a good time to re-share posts from My All-Time Favorite Posts! list… This post originally appeared in 2016. In addition to teaching full-time in high school during the day, I’m on the adjunct faculty in the teacher education programs at California State University, Sacramento and the University of California, Davis. I’m finding an important question keeps on cropping
adjieargoputra / Pixabay On August 10th, 2019, Muslims around the world begin celebrating Eid al-Adha, or “Festival of Sacrifice.” You might be interested in The Best Online Resources For Learning About Eid al-Adha .
succo / Pixabay I’m adding this New York Times video (and the tweet following it) to The Best Sites For Learning About Protests In History: They're also using Roman Shield tactics: pic.twitter.com/TF4wY0rOGG — Matt Austin (@Matt_Austin86) August 1, 2019
This is a guest post by Victoria Trujillo Onodera. Victoria Trujillo Onodera is a Culturally Responsive Education Coach, educator, and teacher leader with over 25 years of classroom and instructional coaching experience. When the Welcome Back to School letter pops up on my email, I am not surprised. As an educator and as a parent, I know the routine. Yet, nothing about this year feels routine. As
OpenClipart-Vectors / Pixabay I’m adding these two videos, both which are based on U.S. Census data, to The Best Websites For Teaching & Learning About U.S. History : [OC] US City Populations 1790-2018 from r/dataisbeautiful
Q&A Collections: Reading Instruction is the headline of my latest Education Week Teacher column. All Classroom Q&A posts offering advice on Reading Instruction (from the past eight years!) are described and linked to in this