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 ...
Joyce Vance: Bring Back Civics Education!
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Joyce Vance is a veteran federal prosecutor; she was the U.S. Attorney for
the Northern district of Alabama from 2009-2017. She writes a blog called
“Civil...
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?
-
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?
-
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
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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
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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. . . .
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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
-
*“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 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
SilviaP_Design / Pixabay I thought this was a pretty intriguing and well-done video. I’m adding it to The Best Websites For Teaching & Learning About World History .
Pixapopz / Pixabay I have over 2,100 frequently revised and updated “Best” lists on just about every subject imaginable, and you can find them listed three different ways in three different places (see Three Accessible Ways To Search For & Find My “Best” Lists ). I’m starting to publish a series where each day I will highlight the “Best” lists in a separate category. Today, it’s on Math: The Best
geralt / Pixabay I have over 2,100 frequently revised and updated “Best” lists on just about every subject imaginable, and you can find them listed three different ways in three different places (see Three Accessible Ways To Search For & Find My “Best” Lists ). I’m starting to publish a series where each day I will highlight the “Best” lists in a separate category. Today, it’s on Listening and Sp
Free-Photos / Pixabay The United Nations has declared Oct. 17th to be the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty . You might be interested in: The Best Visualizations Of Poverty In The U.S. & Around The World The Best Resources About Wealth & Income Inequality The Best Resources On Why Improving Education Is Not THE Answer To Poverty & Inequality The Best Articles Showing Why Education
mohamed_hassan / Pixabay Here are new additions to THE BEST POSTS PREDICTING WHAT SCHOOLS WILL LOOK LIKE IN THE FALL : U.S. schooling during covid-19 doesn’t deserve a passing grade. Here’s the way forward. is from The Washington Post. Another Sacramento County school district votes to reopen campuses — perhaps next month is from The Sacramento Bee. Up to 1 million California students may still l
It hasn’t gained any political traction, but education researchers have been advocating for a national tutoring program to support students who may be harmed by school closures. I’d certainly be supportive of it and, perhaps, if Joe Biden wins the Presidency and the Democrats win the Senate, it might have a chance of becoming a reality. The 74 just published Using Tutors to Combat COVID Learning
cuncon / Pixabay I have a lot of posts about learning games – both online and in the physical classroom. And I have quite a few about dealing with virtual learning . This one is a combination that will list the online games I’m using the most with my English Language Learner students in my English and History classes (feel free to add your own!): Pictionary with Whiteboard.fi is always a winner.
8 Million Have Slipped Into Poverty Since May as Federal Aid Has Dried Up is a depressing NY Times article today. Economic stress has been found to have a huge negative effect on student academic achievement (see The Best Places To Learn What Impact A Teacher (& Outside Factors) Have On Student Achievement ). One of many reasons it has that kind of impact is the stress on “cognitive” or “mental”
Wokandapix / Pixabay I have over 2,100 frequently revised and updated “Best” lists on just about every subject imaginable, and you can find them listed three different ways in three different places (see Three Accessible Ways To Search For & Find My “Best” Lists ). I’m starting to publish a series where each day I will highlight the “Best” lists in a separate category. Today, it’s on Instructiona
TheAngryTeddy / Pixabay NPR has announced its third annual podcast challenge for middle and high school students. Whether or not you want to encourage your students to participate, one great thing about the contest is that they provide excellent resources for teachers (and students) who want to include podcasting in any lessons. This year, they’ve also added a contest specifically for college stu
Every year since StoryCorps began it in 2015 , I’ve shared about their project, The Great Thanksgiving Listen: The Great Thanksgiving Listen is a national movement that empowers young people—and people of all ages—to create an oral history of the contemporary United States by recording an interview with an elder, mentor, friend, or someone they admire. You can learn all about it here , as well as
I’ve begun posting my end-of-the-year “Best” lists for 2020, and will be adding links to each one in this post. There should be close to thirty by the time I’m done! You can see all the mid-year lists at ALL 2020 MID-YEAR “BEST” LISTS IN ONE PLACE! and all previous annual lists at All My “Annual” Best List Collections. Here’s what I’ve shared so far this year: THE BEST THIRTY-FIVE WEB 2.0 APPLICA
mohamed_hassan / Pixabay Here are new additions to THE BEST POSTS PREDICTING WHAT SCHOOLS WILL LOOK LIKE IN THE FALL : Teachers unions in 3 large Sacramento districts want schools closed until at least January is from The Sacramento Bee. As Covid-19 Closes Schools, the World’s Children Go to Work is from The NY Times. As More Schools Resume In-Person Learning, Some Lessons From Districts That Did
mohamed_hassan / Pixabay Here are new additions to THE BEST RESOURCES FOR TEACHING ABOUT THE 2020 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION : Election 101 is from CNN. Lesson of the Day: How Does the Electoral College Work and Why Does It Matter? is from The NY Times Learning Network.
is the headline of my latest Education Week Teacher column. Four educators consider how to explore politics in the classroom, including by incorporating multiple perspectives and ensuring all student voices are heard. Here are some excerpts:
It continues to be time for end-of-year “Best” lists. 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 lot since I’ve doing this since 2007) here. Note that they’re also continually revised and updated. Here are my picks from the second half of 2020: A few months ago, I posted Implicit Bias Training Doesn’t See
lynn0101 / Pixabay Last year, I published “What the Constitution Means to Me” Sounds Like A Great Play With Lots Of Teaching Potential. I just learned that they taped one of the performances and it will be available on Amazon Prime this Friday! You can read more about it at: Heidi Schreck says she now feels “100 years older” than she was when she filmed the Broadway version. is from Slate. Here’s
FirmBee / Pixabay I have over 2,100 frequently revised and updated “Best” lists on just about every subject imaginable, and you can find them listed three different ways in three different places (see Three Accessible Ways To Search For & Find My “Best” Lists ). I’m starting to publish a series where each day I will highlight the “Best” lists in a separate category. Today, it’s on Infographics: T
Three Ways to Help Students in Distance Learning Develop an Intrinsic Desire to Read is the topic of my latest ten-minute BAM! Radio Show. I’m joined in the conversation by Sawson Jaber, Melissa Butler, Jennifer Orr and Katie Alaniz, who have all also contributed written commentaries to my Ed Week Teacher column. I’m adding it to All My BAM Radio Shows – Linked With Descriptions .
Awaix_Mughal / Pixabay Here are new additions to THE BEST POSTS PREDICTING WHAT SCHOOLS WILL LOOK LIKE IN THE FALL : The Digital Divide Starts With a Laptop Shortage is from The NY Times. Sure, send our kids back to unsafe schools, even though it isn’t ‘in the best interest of anyone’ is from The Washington Post. In-person classes, Internet snafus, melancholy hallways: This is what teaching in a
waldryano / Pixabay I’m adding this new video from Vox to Shocking – NOT! New Study Finds Educators Tend To Discipline Black Students More Harshly Than White Students . You might also be interested in THE BEST RESOURCES FOR LEARNING HOW BLACK GIRLS ARE TREATED UNFAIRLY & WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT .
My end-of-the-year “Best” list posts continue… I use short, funny video clips a lot when I’m teaching ELLs, and you can read in detail about how I use them in The Best Popular Movies/TV Shows For ESL/EFL (& How To Use Them) . In short, there are many ways to use them that promote speaking, listening, writing and reading (including having students describe – in writing and verbally – a chronologic
is the headline of my latest Education Week Teacher column. Four educators push back against the admonition to “keep politics out of the classroom” by, among other things, explaining that schools are part of a broader political system. Here are some excerpts:
Clker-Free-Vector-Images / Pixabay I have over 2,100 frequently revised and updated “Best” lists on just about every subject imaginable, and you can find them listed three different ways in three different places (see Three Accessible Ways To Search For & Find My “Best” Lists ). I’m starting to publish a series where each day I will highlight the “Best” lists in a separate category. Today, it’s o
I’m not quite sure when Zoom added this feature, but you can now enable automatic subtitling in English when you’re in a video conference using the tool. Avriel Ogawa, a very talented colleague, shared these instructions today: Go to settings on the navigation bar on the left of the screen. Scroll down to In Meeting Advanced Then, scroll down to Closed Captioning and toggle it on Be sure to check
I’m adding these new resources to The Best Resources For Teaching About Confederate Monuments : Confronting History, Transforming Monuments is from Facing History. As challenges to Confederate monuments and other controversial memorials gain momentum, the Mellon Foundation will spend $250 million to support the creation of new American monuments and consider relocating or reimagining existing one
stevepb / Pixabay I have over 2,100 frequently revised and updated “Best” lists on just about every subject imaginable, and you can find them listed three different ways in three different places (see Three Accessible Ways To Search For & Find My “Best” Lists ). I’m starting to publish a series where each day I will highlight the “Best” lists in a separate category. Today, it’s on Health Issues:
geralt / Pixabay Here are new additions to THE BEST POSTS PREDICTING WHAT SCHOOLS WILL LOOK LIKE IN THE FALL : A shortage of teachers and Covid-19 create a perfect storm for the education system is from CNBC. CDC: Almost all of the US kids and teens who’ve died from COVID-19 were Hispanic or Black is from Business Insider. Parents Hustling To Adapt After New York City Closes Schools In Some Areas
I’m continuing with my end-of-year “Best” list posts… You might also be interested in The VERY BEST Resources To Support Teachers Dealing With School Closures In 2020 – Part One , along with all my closure-related “Best” lists here . Here they are: Here’s Our Chapter On Distance Learning With ELLs & It’s Free To Download (No Registration Required!) HERE ARE DETAILED – & TENTATIVE – DISTANCE LEARN
It’s Indigenous Peoples’ Day in the United States today, also known as Columbus Day. I have over 2,100 frequently revised and updated “Best” lists on just about every subject imaginable, and you can find them listed three different ways in three different places (see Three Accessible Ways To Search For & Find My “Best” Lists ). Here are the ones I have related to Indigenous Peoples: The Best Onli
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. Of course, this is a crazy time for “classroom” instruction…. You might also be interested in THE BEST RESOURCES ON INSTRUCTION IN 2020 – PART ONE. Here are this week’s picks: IB has created something called a Webliography, which are basically lessons
Nine 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 2020 – PART ONE , as well as checking out all my edtech resources . Here are this w
With this post, I’m beginning to publish my end-of-year “The Best….” lists. Because of fulltime distance learning craziness, it will probably take me longer than usual to get them all out. There are 2,200 regularly updated lists now. You can see them all here . You can also find many of them organized a bit differently here . As usual, in order to make this list, a site had to be: * accessible to
13smok / Pixabay I have over 2,100 frequently revised and updated “Best” lists on just about every subject imaginable, and you can find them listed three different ways in three different places (see Three Accessible Ways To Search For & Find My “Best” Lists ). I’m starting to publish a series where each day I will highlight the “Best” lists in a separate category. Today, it’s on Combating Gun Vi
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
In a move that will be welcomed by many teachers, today Google unveiled the ability for people hosting video conferences with Google Meet to create breakout rooms. Here’s an excerpt from their announcement of the new feature which, for now, is only available to users of Google Enterpris