Has the MORE UFT Caucus Run Afoul of the IRS?
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Is MORE, the Movement of Rank and File Educators, committing tax fraud?
This question has been put to The Crack Team. Since The Crack Team are
neither a...
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, ...
Some Christmas Tunery
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Here at the Institute (where the Board of Directors still firmly believe in
Santa Claus), we like our seasonal music, both as consumers and as
producers,...
Finding Light in Winter by Mary Pipher
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The mornings are dark, the late afternoons are dusky, and before we finish
making dinner, the daylight is gone. As we approach the darkest days of the
ye...
Last Minute Gift Ideas!
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We've been bombarded with "last minute" gift idea promotions since at least
mid-November, but now, finally, the last minute is truly upon us. As a
publi...
Cartoons about the Holiday Season
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Here are some cartoons that got me to smile about this time of year. I hope
they will do the same for you. Happy holidays to all of my readers. Enjoy!
HAIRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAIRY HANUKKAH TOO!
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*HAIRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAIRY HANUKKAH TOO!*
* The Big Hairy Education Ape Spreads Holiday Cheer! Ah, December! The time
of year when the air tur...
About the Social Security Fairness Act
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On December 21, 2024, the US Senate passed the Social Security Fairness
Act, otherwise known as HR 82, a bill that restores full Social Security
benefits t...
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...
Big Lies of Education: Grade Retention
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The Big Lie of grade retention in the US is that it is often hidden within
larger reading legislation and policy, notably since the 2010s: Westall and
Cumm...
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...
Peace through Beauty
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I am and always have been more musical than I have been verbal. I have
always found beauty in sound. Often it can be purely instrumental, such as
playing...
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
-
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...
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
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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?
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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?
-
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?
-
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
-
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
-
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. . . .
-
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
-
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
-
*“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...
I thought that new – and veteran – readers might find it interesting if I began sharing my best posts from the first half of this year. You can see the entire collection of best posts from the past thirteen years here . Many teachers
bmoreprep / Pixabay Here are some very important and impressive additions to The Best Resources For Teaching About Confederate Monuments : Confederate monuments are falling, but hundreds still stand. Here’s where. is from The Washington Post. A Monumental Shift is a Washington Post interactive.
As President Trump holds his rally in Tulsa today, I thought it would be useful to share some important new additions to MAY 31ST & JUNE 1ST WERE THE DATES OF THE TULSA RACE MASSACRE – HERE ARE TEACHING & LEARNING RESOURCES : Tulsa's story remains unheard by many Americans. In Oklahoma, we've worked hard & continue to work hard to tell that story. To learn more about Tulsa & #BlackWallStreet , fe
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
Here are many new additions to The Best Resources For Learning About Juneteenth : Why Juneteenth Matters is from The NY Times. Five myths about Juneteenth is from The Washington Post. Usher: Why it’s so important that Juneteenth become a national holiday is from The Washington Post. Original ‘Juneteenth’ order found in the National Archives is from The Washington Post. Juneteenth celebrates ‘a mo
Even though I believe that New York Times columnist David Brooks actually does write a good column now-and-then, his track record on when he writes about education issues is absolutely abysmal . Today, though, he finally got one right when he wrote about the fallacy that better education leads to economic and social equality. I’m adding it to The Best Resources On Why Improving Education Is Not T
is the headline of my latest Education Week Teacher column. All Classroom Q&A posts talking about Race & Racism in education (from the past nine years!) are described and linked to in this compilation post. Here’s an excerpt from one of them:
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
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
johnhain / Pixabay Anders Ericsson, well-known researcher of “deliberate practice” and the “10,000 hour rule,” died yesterday, sadly. I interviewed him a while back for Education week ( ‘Peak’: An Interview With Anders Ericsson & Robert Pool ) and you can see quite a bit of info on his work at The Best Resources For Learning About The 10,000 Hour Rule & Deliberate Practice . You could start with
StartupStockPhotos / Pixabay You’ve probably already heard the good news, but I thought I’d pull together some tweets and videos that provide a little more substance to it (including how it affects education): The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday blocked the Trump administration's plan to end DACA. Here’s what to know about the policy, where it stands, and how it reached the Supreme Court. https://
OpenClipart-Vectors / Pixabay This new USA Today video is simplistic, but it’s useful because it’s short and highlights info and research I have in text on two “Best” lists. I’m adding it to those lists: The Best Sites For Learning About Protests In History The Best Posts & Articles On Building Influence & Creating Change
G4889166 / Pixabay Saturday will be the longest day of the year. You might be interested in The Best Resources For Learning About The Summer Solstice .
As I do every June, I’ve begun publishing mid-year “Best” lists. I’ll list the ones I’ve already posted, and continue to update it here as the month goes on. There should eventually be about twenty of them. You can see all previous annual “Best” collections here . Here they are: THE BEST WEB 2.0 APPLICATIONS FOR EDUCATION IN 2020 – PART ONE The Best Online Learning Games – 2020 (Part One) A LOOK
Another day, another mid-year “Best” list. The first was THE BEST WEB 2.0 APPLICATIONS FOR EDUCATION IN 2020 – PART ONE The second was The Best Online Learning Games – 2020 (Part One) The third was A LOOK BACK: 2020’S BEST POSTS FROM THIS BLOG – PART ONE The fourth was The Best Videos For Educators – 2020 (Part One). Now, it’s time for research studies. You can see all previous editions of this l
PhotoMIX-Company / Pixabay Today, Twitter released a feature available for the iPhone where you can make a short audio recording: You can Tweet a Tweet. But now you can Tweet your voice! Rolling out today on iOS, you can now record and Tweet with audio. pic.twitter.com/jezRmh1dkD — Twitter (@Twitter) June 17, 2020 It will be rolling out over the next few weeks. It could come in handy for English
viarami / Pixabay TED has just released this video on YouTube, and you can read the transcript here . I’m adding it to New & Revised: Resources To Help Us Predominantly White Teachers To Reflect On How Race Influences Our Work .
It’s not just an issue of “self-discipline” or “character.” Student “misbehavior” also has other causes, which I’ve written about a lot in The Best Resources Showing Social Emotional Learning Isn’t Enough. Even though today’s NY Times article, When Impulse Buys Make You Feel Safe , is written from the perspective a parent, it can easily be applied to how many our students see the world (again, as
What Anti-racist Teachers Do Differently is a new article in The Atlantic written by a San Francisco high school principal, Pierette McKamey. I’m adding it to: New & Revised: Resources To Help Us Predominantly White Teachers To Reflect On How Race Influences Our Work The “Best” Lists Of Recommendations About What “Effective” Teachers Do
Today marks five years since The Emanuel AME massacre. You might be interested in Resources For Learning About #Charlottesville . 5 years ago on this date, these 9 people were killed by a white supremacist at the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, SC. #Emanuel9 pic.twitter.com/Jl9AEvfIwZ — philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) June 17, 2020
‘Teaching That Activates & Leverages Background Knowledge Is an Equity Issue’ is the headline of my latest Education Week Teacher column. Four educators share ideas on how to leverage student background knowledge, including through using The Question Formulation Technique, word splashes, and sticky notes. Here are some excerpts:
It continues to be time for mid-year “Best” lists. The first was THE BEST WEB 2.0 APPLICATIONS FOR EDUCATION IN 2020 – PART ONE The second was The Best Online Learning Games – 2020 (Part One) The third was A LOOK BACK: 2020’S BEST POSTS FROM THIS BLOG – PART ONE Now it’s time for the Best Videos For Educators. You can see all my previous “Best” lists related to videos and movies (and there are a
dapple-designers / Pixabay Many of us now wear masks when we go to places where we will be in close contact with others, like stores. There’s now on-going discussion about if teachers should wear face shields instead of masks (for example, the State of California is providing a face shield to every teacher ). The idea is that it will help students hear what teachers are saying, and be particularl
Twice each year, I post my favorite posts that appeared in during the previous six months. This post is for my favorites from the first half of 2020. You can see my choices for each of the past twelve years here. And you can also see a list of my My All-Time Favorite Posts! Here are my choices: NON-“BEST” LISTS: IMPLICIT BIAS TRAINING DOESN’T SEEM TO WORK – SO WHAT SHOULD TEACHERS & OTHERS DO, IN
PhotoMIX-Company / Pixabay I used to post weekly collections of my best tweets, and used Storify to bring them together. Unfortunately, Storify went under. Fortunately, however, Wakelet was a new tool that was able to import all of a person’s Storifys. So you can see all those previous Twitter “Best” lists here . You might also be interested in MY MOST POPULAR TWEETS IN 2019 – PART TWO and NEW &
The Whys & Hows of Activating Students’ Background Knowledge is the headline of my latest Education Week Teacher. Seven educators explain the importance of tapping students’ background knowledge in order to learn new content, and they describe ways to do just that, including through the use of surveys and anticipation guides. Here are some excerpts: 24
These Kids Are Done Waiting for Change is a New York Times column that is likely to be read in many classrooms over the next several months and beyond. It’s about a group of Nashville teenagers who are fighting against racism by, among other things, having organized a 10,000 person march to protest George Floyd’s murder. I’m adding it to The Best Resources Sharing The History Of Teens Organizing
geralt / Pixabay “Citizen Science” typically is the term used to describe crowdsourced projects that citizens, including students, can help with and that contribute towards a common good. Having an “ authentic audience” – someone other than a teacher – can contribute to student engagement and intrinsic motivation. There are lots of these kinds of citizen science projects out there, and you can fi
Two years ago, the amazing ten-part series on a U.S. high school titled “America To Me” aired on the Starz. I shared clips and reviews about it at that time . In addition to continuing to be seen on the Starz service, it’s also now on Hulu . If you haven’t seen it already, I would strongly recommend you do so now….
In the wake of recent murders of Black citizens, like George Floyd, and subsequent protests, there has been a lot of attention being paid to the concept of implicit bias and how to combat it. There seem to be far fewer people questioning the existence of implicit bias than when Mike Pence was very confused about it at the Vice-Presidential debate. You can see tons of resources about how it affect
When teaching English Language Learners, many – if not most – of us have students repeat newly-learned words chorally. It encourages shy students to practice pronunciation and develop more self-confidence when speaking. And many of us – when teaching ELLs or English-proficient students – often have students pair-up and read text aloud to each other taking turns with each paragraph. It’s a very us
qimono / Pixabay The latest TED-Ed lesson and video is on “How fast can a vaccine be made?” I’m adding it to A BEGINNING LIST OF THE BEST RESOURCES FOR LEARNING ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS .
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
It continues to be time for mid-year “Best” lists. The first was THE BEST WEB 2.0 APPLICATIONS FOR EDUCATION IN 2020 – PART ONE You can see all my previous Online Learning Games “Best” lists (and there are a lot since I’ve doing this since 2007) here. Note that they’re also continually revised and updated. Here are my picks from the first part of 2020: Drawpoly is a neat Pictionary-like online ga
Alexas_Fotos / Pixabay Here are new additions to THE BEST POSTS PREDICTING WHAT SCHOOLS WILL LOOK LIKE IN THE FALL : Ed Week has published a very useful special project on the topic, including The Socially Distanced School Day and How Schools in Other Countries Have Reopened. When schools reopen, many children will be missing is from Al Jazeera, and gives a useful non-US perspective.
Make Learning Relevant by ‘Getting to Know Your Students’ is the headline of my latest Education Week Teacher column. Five educators discuss strategies for increasing the relevance of lessons, including by learning student interests and sharing the stories of scientists. Here are some excerpts: I’m adding this series to The Best Ideas For Helping Students Connect Lessons To Their Interests & The
Free-Photos / Pixabay Today is celebrated as Flag Day in the United States. To quote from Wikipedia : In the United States, Flag Day is celebrated on June 14. It commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States, which happened that day by resolution of the Second Continental Congress in 1777. You might be interested in: The Best Sites For Learning About Flag Day The Best Resources For T
As regular readers know, for the past thirteen years I’ve been publishing about twenty-five different bi-annual lists highlighting the best educational resources around (along with tons of other “Best” lists). You can see them all here. It takes a lot of time to compile those lists, so I now do them every six months. I’m starting off by focusing on Web 2.0 tools. It’s possible that a few of these
I’m adding this first Washington Post video to The Best Resources For Teaching About Confederate Monuments : I’m adding these next two to USEFUL RESOURCES FOR TEACHING & LEARNING WHAT “DEFUND THE POLICE” MEANS:
There have been several visual displays of the protests since George Floyd’s murder. These can be useful when teaching any class, and especially with English Language Learners. You might also be interested in: PART SIX: IMPORTANT TWEETS ABOUT THE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD USEFUL RESOURCES FOR TEACHING & LEARNING WHAT “DEFUND THE POLICE” MEANS TEACHING RESOURCES ABOUT IF POLICE SHOULD BE IN SCHOOLS H
The issue of if police officers should be stationed in schools is a big one these days, and one that will be considered in policy discussions – and in class discussions come the fall. You might also be interested in: USEFUL RESOURCES FOR TEACHING & LEARNING WHAT “DEFUND THE POLICE” MEANS The Most Useful Posts, Articles & Videos On South Carolina Officer’s Violent Arrest Of Student Here are recent
Clker-Free-Vector-Images / Pixabay I’m adding these resources to THE BEST IDEAS FOR ONLINE ACTIVITIES TO USE WHEN TEACHING ELLS REMOTELY – SHARE MORE! : 7 Strategies Designed to Increase Student Engagement in Synchronous Online Discussions Using Video Conferencing i