A Willful Child
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The boy had shed his jacket onto the floor, leaving it in a heap right in
the middle of the room. Under normal circumstances I would have said
something...
Divider in Chief Shares Education Plan
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By Thomas Ultican 11/22/2024 President Trump’s new video on the Carter
Family’s YouTube channel lays out his ten points for public education. It
is no surp...
Department of Redundency Department
-
Teachers ought to know. Marketers certainly know. Politicians ignore it at
their peril.
Repetition works.
There is a tendency among certain brands of huma...
EXCERPT: When Freedom is the Question…
-
When Freedom is the Question… In Bertolt Brecht’s 1938 play Galileo, the
astronomer’s breathtaking discoveries about the movement of the planets and
the st...
Hachiko
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The last photo of Hachiko, the faithful dog who waited for more than nine
years in front of Shibuya station for his master to return. This photo is
th...
Who’s Afraid of Anne Frank?
-
Last week, in Howell, Michigan, the town where I used to live, a local
youth theatre group was putting on a production of the play version of The
Diary of ...
¡Si, ganamos!
-
En victorias desde la Carolinia del Norte hacia el Estado de Washington y
Maine, encontramos la evidencia que cuando nos organizamos, ganamos.
Siempre encu...
Pointing Out The Parralles
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“Your friend professes belief yet I’m not convinced. What about you? Are
the gods real?” “They are real,” says I, “And you’re a prick.” ― Ferdia
Lennon, Gl...
A message from Quaker Meeting for Worship
-
the branch of Society of Friends to which I belong is unprogrammed, we have
no designated ministers. Anyone who feels moved by the Spirit is free to
rise...
Trump and Education
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I do not believe American education is a top concern for Donald Trump. I do
believe that he could well turn it over to the likes of the Heritage
Foundation...
Don’t Obey In Advance
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Last week, I hopped off a bus and voted early. It was quick, convenient,
and came with two stickers: one for me and one for ...
Read More
The post Don’t...
October’s Parent Engagement Resources
-
"We need dads to make a difference not just in school, but in our
societies." – parenting coach Dion Chavis @NimahGobir 3 Strategies for
Encouraging Dads’ ...
Try Substack?
-
Seems like the popular new thing. Here’s my first try – it’s about
yesterday’s UFT Retired Teachers Chapter meeting – first ever not run by
Unity. (Spoiler...
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
-
This caught my attention:
New Jersey school districts may soon be evaluated differently, *with a
greater emphasis on student growth* as compared to stud...
Time to Rein in Vouchers
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Universal voucher programs have, in many states led to substantial budget
stress (Baker, 2024;[1] Hager, 2024). Initial cost estimates in Florida
were that...
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 ...
15 Questions for the Candidates
-
Those citizens who fantasize about defying tyranny from within fortified
compounds have never understood how liberty is actually threatened in a
modern bur...
We are making a CPESS documentary!
-
In 2020, I was approached by Deborah Meier and Jane Andrais and I decided
we should document the story of Central Park East Secondary School (CPESS).
This ...
The Sky is Falling, or is it?
-
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:
-
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
-
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
-
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...
Skin Deep
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She spends so much time on her outward appearance. There is never a hair
out of place. Her makeup is perfect and her clothes are stylish and match
to ...
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...
-
*Defeating the Purpose of Education*
*Updated: May 2024*
*Most people would agree that the primary purpose of education is to
prepare children for a good a...
THERE IS A TEACHER SHORTAGE. NOT!
-
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 certi...
Abortion: Only For Those Who Need It!
-
NOTE: This post contains my opinions on Catholicism based on my experiences
as a child in the 1960's and 70's. Take what you like and leave the rest. I
m...
Book Banning Turns to Dick and Jane
-
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...
On the Edge of Silence
-
“There is but one truly serious philosophical problem and that is suicide.
Judging whether life is or is not worth living amounts to answering the
fundamen...
Have You Heard Has a New Website
-
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
-
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
-
[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...
GA run-offs need your help!
-
Extremely important. Volunteer if you can. Thank you if you are already
doing so. Out of state opportunities here: Ralph …
Continue reading →
The Threat of Integration
-
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!
-
The nation stands at a crossroads, said NEA President Lily Eskelsen GarcÃa
in her final keynote address to the 2020 NEA Representative Assembly and
it’s up...
A Fundamental Redesign of Our Schools
-
I climbed the hill leading up to one of my favorite coffee shops in Seattle
this morning to enjoy a coffee while taking in a phenomenal view of the
city o...
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...
Thoughts on schooling in the era of COVID-19
-
Well, a whole lot has changed since I returned to blogging a month and half
ago. In case you didn't notice, and I'm sure everyone reading this did,
there's...
NAEP scores and "the science of reading"
-
*Sent to US News. They just informed me that they no longer publish
letters to the editor. *
*Re: “National reading emergency” November 12*
*[https://www...
2019 NAEP Scores: Achievement Gap or …?
-
Here you go: A ‘Disturbing’ Assessment: Sagging Reading Scores,
Particularly for Eighth-Graders, Headline 2019’s Disappointing NAEP Results
NAEP 2019: Re...
Cara Menang Bermain Judi Bola Online
-
Bermain judi bola online tentu saja memiliki kesenangannya tersendiri baik
itu mendapatkan keuntungan maupun ketika menantikan hasil skor pada sebuah
perta...
A Storm is Coming! (…again)
-
A new Commissioner will have as much impact on our state ed system as a new
meteorologist will have on …
Continue reading →
The World According to Michelle Rhee
-
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...
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...
3rd Grade Reading: Who is Failing?
-
Education Trust Midwest has just released its study on third grade reading
and, predictably, the results aren’t great. This study uniquely compares
Michiga...
Opting out of the Dinosaur (end of year test)
-
Today I sent in a second letter to refuse PARCC/CMAS for my son, Luke. The
first email I sent at the beginning of the year was not sufficient as they
requi...
Resurrection
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I realized it's Lent, but this blog, bless Jesus Christ, can't wait.
Ok, so with that said, I plan to discuss Class Action suits in existence,
as well as w...
IDEA Is Still The Law Of The Land
-
Unless you've been living under a rock, you know the US Department of
Education (USDOE) rescinded 72 Dear Colleague and other letters of
explanation to ...
Education Is a Civic Question
-
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
-
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...
An Open Letter to NC Lawmakers
-
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)
-
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...
Capturing the Spark
-
It’s been a long time since InterACT was an active education blog, though I
remain quite proud of what we did here. Those of us who wrote blog posts
here h...
Random Musings and Observations. . . .
-
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...
WTU Peterson Slate: Not a 1 Woman Dictatorship
-
Candi Peterson & GeLynn Thompson
Candidates for WTU Prez & GVP 2016By Candi Peterson, WTU Gen. Vice President
*Statements or expressions of opinions herein...
MY NEW BLOG
-
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
-
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...
Flaws at the Heart of Current Education Reforms
-
Originally posted on Creative by Nature:
“Teaching is an art form rooted in the wise and careful use of educational
research and assessment tools. When gove...
The MAP Test
-
Teachers will be voting this afternoon on the contract that has been
tentatively agreed upon. I am asking all teachers to not allow an
evaluation system th...
SchoolPRPro / Pixabay My friend and colleague Katherine Bell did a survey of our students, and their reflections about distance learning have just been published by The Washington Post at From ‘pretty good’ to ‘really difficult’ — students at one high school talk about online learning during the pandemic. You might also be interested in a similar four-part series I recently did at Education Week
Atlantios / Pixabay May 22nd has been named The International Day for Biological Diversity by the United Nations. Started in 2006 by the U.S. Congress, Endangered Species Day is the third Friday of May. You might be interested in The Best Resources For World Biodiversity Day (& Endangered Species Day) .
Adapting Social Studies for Remote Teaching is the headline of my latest Education Week Teacher column. Three social studies teachers share the instructional strategies they are using in distance learning, including project-
Clker-Free-Vector-Images / Pixabay I wouldn’t add it to The Best Commencement Speeches , but this compilation of speech excerpts for this year has some good ones:
Sacramento’s public television has a weekly half-hour discussion show called Studio Sacramento. Here’s how they describe today’s show, “School at Home”: Students are in school but they’re at their homes. How is at-home learning working for one district? Joining host Scott Syphax with an update from Sacramento City Unified School District are School Board President Jessie Ryan, Superintendent Jorg
PublicDomainPictures / Pixabay I have a zillion history-related “Best” lists. However, I thought it would be useful to bring together the different resources I use in my IB Theory of Knowledge classes when we study the “idea’ of history (I also use some of these in my actual history classes). I know I’m missing a ton of good stuff, so let me know what it is! Here they are: Excellent History Quest
priyampatel4 / Pixabay Here’s how National Geographic describes this new video: In March 2020, many cities and countries around the world went into lockdown, restricting movement and encouraging social distancing in an attempt to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Five filmmakers, Nick Moir, Veda Shastri, Alexia Webster, Felix Gaedtke, and Guglielmo Mattioli documented their cities under lockdown in 3
kreatikar / Pixabay The United Nations has designated May 21st at the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development . You might be interested in a massive “Best” list: The Best Sites For Learning About The World’s Different Cultures .
Social Studies Instruction in the Age of the Coronavirus is the headline of my latest Education Week Teacher column. Five social studies teachers discuss their online instructional strategies, including emphasizing relevancy and maintaining high standards. 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: Asian Americans is the PBS site for the series of the same name. I’m adding it to The Best Sites For Asian Pacific American Heritage Month . Improving Teacher Workforce Diversity is
The Centers For Disease Control released guides for reopening different sectors of society called Communities, Schools, Workplaces, and Events: Guidance for Where You Live, Work, Learn, Pray, and Play. One part of it was Interim Guidance for Administrators of US K-12 Schools and Child Care Programs . I might be missing something, but I’m not sure most districts are going to find it very helpful.
TheDigitalArtist / Pixabay The latest TED-Ed lesson and video is on “What is a coronavirus?” I’m adding it to A BEGINNING LIST OF THE BEST RESOURCES FOR LEARNING ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS .
Eight 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 TWO , as well as checking out all my edtech resources . Here are this
qimono / Pixabay Schools are obviously going to have lots of challenges during the next school year (see A teacher predicts what his classroom (and others) will look like in the fall) . An additional issue is going to be getting substitute teachers. One challenge is going to be that – if we are teaching in a physical school – there will be far more teacher absences than there have been in the pas
Free-Photos / Pixabay Based on a survey done in Ed Week , the journal suggests that student engagement in distance learning is “plummeting.” My classes seem to holding fairly steady (especially in my live daily ELL Newcomers class), though a few in my IB Theory of Knowledge class who have been on the periphery from the start have pretty much disconnected. In an effort to “hold on” to what I have,
Tumisu / Pixabay We Might Have Gotten Remote Learning Wrong. We Can Still Fix This School Year is the headline of a new op-ed piece I’ve written for Education Week. It’s an expanded version of my previous post, ARE WE GOING ABOUT THIS WHOLE “DISTANCE LEARNING” THING ALL WRONG?
This is just the latest press attention to a huge issue they most of us teachers already know about… Imagine the stress and pressure going on in so many of our students’ homes right now. I’m adding this info to The Best Places To Learn What Impact A Teacher (& Outside Factors) Have On Student Achievement .
BedexpStock / Pixabay Ma Xi Lee, our district’s extraordinary Director of Social Emotional Learning, invited me to participate in this podcast . Here’s how she describes it: This week’s episode features important voices in our Sac City community- those of teachers. Teachers are critically important for students’ academic growth as well as their social and emotional well-being. Particularly during
Teach Current Events as ‘History in the Making’ is the headline of a new excerpt from The Social Studies Teacher’s Toolbox . It was published at Middleweb, and is authored by Elisabeth Johnson and Evelyn Ramos. The Social Studies Teacher’s Toolbox is one of three books Katie Hull and I have edited and were released last week. I’m adding this excerpt to a section where excerpts from all of them ar
Students’ Thoughts About Online Learning is the headline of my latest Education Week Teacher column. Seven high school students share their feelings about distance learning, especially compared with learning in person, and they aren’t pretty. Here are a few excerpts:
A meta-analysis of math and reading interventions targeting middle and high schools students experiencing academic difficulties found several interventions helpful, but found one that was not – offering incentives to students. It has a long title: Targeted school‐based interventions for improving reading and mathematics for students with, or at risk of, academic difficulties in Grades 7–12: A sys
Using Movement to Engagement Students In Traditional and Virtual Classrooms is the topic of my latest ten-minute BAM! Radio show. I’m joined by Valentina Gonzalez and Jenny Vo in the conversation, who have also contributed written commentaries to my Ed Week Teacher column. I’m adding this show to All My BAM Radio Shows – Linked With Descriptions .
A lot of sites have sprung up over the past two months offering lesson plans of varying qualities to teachers. Of all the ones I’ve seen so far, only two deserve to be added to The Best Places To Find Free (And Good) Lesson Plans On The Internet: National Museum of American History has a lot of very impressive lesson plans that can be used online or in the physical classroom. Science in the City
Wokandapix / Pixabay I have a number of regular weekly features (see HERE IS A LIST (WITH LINKS) OF ALL MY REGULAR WEEKLY FEATURES ). This is a relatively new addition to that list. Some of these resources will be added to The Best Advice On Teaching K-12 Online (If We Have To Because Of The Coronavirus) – Please Make More Suggestions ! and the best will go to The “Best Of The Best” Resources To
Katie Hull and I did a two-part video series with Ed Week on creating the conditions for encouraging student intrinsic motivation during remote learning. They just released Part One. I’m adding it to THE “BEST OF THE BEST” RESOURCES TO SUPPORT TEACHERS DEALING WITH SCHOOL CLOSURES . You can see a series of animated videos we on this topic on my videos page . You might also be interested in Best P
‘Challenges, Curiosity, Creativity, & Community’ in the Online Science Classroom is the headline of my latest Education Week Teacher column. Four science educators share online teaching tips, including having students conduct hands-on experiments at home and maintain scientific notebooks. Here are some excerpts:
BiljaST / Pixabay Six 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 and THE BEST RESOURCES, ARTICLES & BLOG POSTS FOR TEACHERS OF ELLS IN 2019 – PART TWO. A
As regular readers know, three books following the format of our ELL Teacher’s Toolbox , and which Katie Hull and I edited , just came out (clicking on the covers below will lead you to their Amazon pages). And just as all the student hand-outs from our books are available free-of-charge, with no registration required, the same is true of these three. Just go to publisher’s webpages for each of t
TED-Talks just unveiled a neat project of inviting graduates and their supporters to record a message: Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, millions of students won’t have the opportunity to be honored at an in-person graduation this year. However, billions of us can still celebrate these students online. TED invites all members of the class of 2020 to record and share a #gradua TED talk . Let’s ligh
10-4: How to Reopen the Economy by Exploiting the Coronavirus’s Weak Spot is the headline of a pretty interesting article in The New York Times today. In it, some professors/researchers propose a strategy for re-opening the economy and schools. It’s definitely not one I’ve heard before now. I’m still not sure I fully understand it, but that may be only because it’s still very early in the morning
Science Instruction in the Age of the Coronavirus is the headline of my latest Education Week Teacher column. Four science educators share their experiences adapting to online instruction, including through collaborative learning and the use of online labs. Here are some excerpts:
I’m fairly active on Pinterest and, in fact, have curated 21,000 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 MOST POPULAR PINS OF 2019 Here
The upcoming question-of-the-week at my Ed Week Teacher column is: We all know end-of-year activities are important – what celebratory or reflective lessons do you have in mind? Let me know by Sunday, May 17th! Send your ideas – in 200 words or less – along with a one sentence biography to me through one of several ways: * By leaving a comment on this blog * By sending an email to me at at lferl
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 TWO Finally, check out “Best” Lists Of The Week: Social Emotional Learning Resources . Here are this week’s picks: Researcher Behind ‘10,000-H
I’ll be sharing lots of new and interesting resources over the next week. Here’s a list of what to expect: Over at Education Week, I’ll be finishing-up a two month focus on supporting teachers during the school closure crisis with series on virtually teaching science and social studies. After publishing over sixty posts during the past two months, including videos, written commentaries, infograph
geralt / Pixabay Contact tracing is the next key strategy in fighting COVID-19. Here are three new videos that do a very good job of simply explaining what that is and what it might look like. Also, at the bottom, I’ve included a useful video that compares this pandemic with the 1918 Spanish flu. I’m adding this post to A BEGINNING LIST OF THE BEST RESOURCES FOR LEARNING ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS .
‘I Am Doing My Best’ – Teaching Math During the School Closure Crisis is the headline of my latest Education Week Teacher column. Four math educators offer advice about remote instruction, including providing more specific targets and cultivating home connections. Here are some excerpts:
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 THIRTE
What Have We Learned During the Rapid Transition to Remote Learning? is the title of my latest ten-minute BAM! Radio show. I’m joined by Ashley McCall, Claudia Leon, Elvis Epps and Lori Barber, who have also contributed to my Ed Week Teacher column. I’m adding this show to All My BAM Radio Shows – Linked With Descriptions .
Tumisu / Pixabay Yesterday, I shared my predictions of what the next school year might look like (see It’s Going To Be A New Classroom World In The Fall – Here Is What I Think It Might Look Like ). Today, I thought I’d write about what long-term changes COVID-19 might bring to schools – even after a