November Parent Engagement Resources
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Greeting a family in their preferred language is a small gesture that
demonstrates respect and eagerness to connect with parents. Creating a
Welcoming Envi...
Student Debtors Could See Hopes Vanish Under Trump
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Student Debtors Could See Hopes Vanish Under Trump: Not just mass debt
relief, but borrowers promised debt relief through various programs could
be denied ...
Self-Actualization
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Most of us are aware of the American psychologist Abraham Maslow because of
his famous hierarchy of needs, usually portrayed as a pyramid. At the
bottom...
Who's in Charge in Seattle Schools? Part Two
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*Public Testimony at the Tuesday, Nov. 19th Board meeting*
At each Board meeting, it feels like Rankin is getting more and more
annoyed at having public...
Will AI Transform Teaching and Learning?
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Recently, I was invited to be part of a five member panel at Google to
discuss the impact that AI will have on teaching and learning in schools.
My fellow ...
Boom! Boom boom! It’s Deer Season
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So– we live in the northern Michigan woods. And beginning last Friday, we
have been hearing shooting. Lots and lots of shooting. It’s deer season
(firearms...
Trump's Picks
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Today, former Florida representative *Matt Gaetz* withdrew his name from
consideration for the office of attorney general. He did so shortly after
CNN to...
MEMES THAT MADE ME LAUGH TODAY 11-22
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*MEMES THAT MADE ME LAUGH TODAY 11-22*
Big Education Ape: TRUMP, MCMAHON AND THE GREAT BODY SLAM OF THE U.S.
DEPAR...
Trans Panic Abuse
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I first encountered trans folks in the 1970s, trans women who I was in high
school with when they were guys. I've had trans students over the years.
And ...
An Apology
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I want to apologize for not responding personally to those who shared their
views on last week’s blog post, my analysis of why the Democrats lost.
I’ve be...
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...
EXCERPT: When Freedom is the Question…
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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...
¡Si, ganamos!
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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
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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...
Try Substack?
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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...
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
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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!
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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?
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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...
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...
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*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!
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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 certi...
Abortion: Only For Those Who Need It!
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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
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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...
On the Edge of Silence
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“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
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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...
GA run-offs need your help!
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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
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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 GarcÃa
in her final keynote address to the 2020 NEA Representative Assembly and
it’s up...
A Fundamental Redesign of Our Schools
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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
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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"
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*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 …?
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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)
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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
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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...
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?
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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)
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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
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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
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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...
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
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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...
Capturing the Spark
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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. . . .
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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...
WTU Peterson Slate: Not a 1 Woman Dictatorship
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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
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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...
Flaws at the Heart of Current Education Reforms
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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
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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...
CCSD could cut 1.5K jobs if distance learning lasts full school year | Las Vegas Review-Journal - https://wp.me/p8qdWm-9aXU on @reviewjournal
MN’s 20 largest school districts moving online as 69 more schools report coronavirus outbreaks – Twin Cities - https://wp.me/p79gJ9-fLZi on @pioneerpress
More people with bachelor’s degrees go back to school to learn skilled trades - The Hechinger Report - https://hechingerreport.org/?p=75515 via @hechingerreport
Big Education Ape The Damage Betsy DeVos Has Done as Education Secretary and the Challenges Facing Joe Biden’s Pick | Vogue - https://www.vogue.com/article/betsy-devos-education-secretary-damage-joe-biden-challenge#new_tab After 8 months, D.C. Public Schools reopens buildings for more than 400 students - The Washington Post - https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/dc-schools-reopen-build
FL: Bullying, Vouchers, And More Baloney When it comes to school choice, Florida (state motto: "We'll abolish public education any day now") is the place to be. With an array of anti-public education public officials, a non-functioning Democratic party, and the a long history of legislative baloney, it's no wonder that this is Betsy DeVos's idea of how a state is supposed to get things done. But
Latest Ethnic Studies Curriculum Recommendations - Year 2020 (CA Dept of Education) State Superintendent Tony Thurmond and Scholars Present Latest Recommendations to Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum Teaching Native American Studies Virtual Classroom - Year 2020 (CA Dept of Education) - https://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr20/yr20rel95.asp Funding Opportunity: Farm to School Grants - Nutrition (CA Dept o
JEFF BRYANT ON THE RICK SMITH SHOW: “THE IDEA THAT PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAVE FAILED US IS A PROPAGANDA CAMPAIGN.” “ The idea that public schools have failed us is a propaganda campaign. Right now we see a lot of parents being upset at school districts and teachers, wondering why they can’t send their children back to school. The bigger problem is there’s a lack of government leadership dealing with fu
"Have To" History Preview: Good News Club v. Milford Central School (2001) I've been posting rough drafts from what I hope will be an upcoming book focused on Supreme Court cases related to church-state separation in public education. Some aren't cases likely to get full treatment in the book but of interest to me personally, so I ramble about them here. Others – like this one – don't require ex
'State-sanctioned segregation': California’s school closure debate boils over SACRAMENTO — Pandemic politics have reached a boiling point in California’s school reopening debate. A hands-off approach by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom and public pressure from powerful labor unions has led the state’s biggest city districts to keep schools shuttered, leaving most of California’s 6 million public sch
Goodbye, Betsy: Speculation Increases Over The Next Education Secretary The appointee would take over during a time of unprecedented upheaval in schools . Democrats in the education world are ready to say goodbye to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, but divides within the party about who should replace her fall along familiar lines. On one side, labor leaders like Randi Weingarten and Lily Eskels
The Personal Side of Being a Superintendent In The Managerial Imperative: The Practice of Leadership in Schools (1988), I wrote of my experiences as a superintendent, husband, and father and how the job intersected with my life during and after the workday. Because the family side of being a superintendent is often unwritten much less talked about–especially during the Covid pandemic, I have upd
Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007 Big Education Ape: THIS WEEK IN EDUCATION Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2020/11/this-week-in-education-larry-ferlazzos_14.html A Look Back: Here’s The Video Of The Keynote I Gave At The VirtuEL Confer
Carol Burris: The Secretary of Education We Need–and Those We Don’t Carol Burris wrote the following post. Marla Kilfoyle provided assistance. They asked me to add that there are dozens more exceptionally well qualified people who should be considered for this important post: they are career educators who believe in public education, not closing schools or privatization. The media has been fille
Imagine If We Stood On the Shoulders of the Remote Learning Giants A couple days ago, I wrote a piece that had been long coming in which I called upon educators to embrace the opportunities and challenges presented by this pandemic to reimagine how we teach young children while continuing to embrace the "freedom, equality, and hands-on democratic education" that so many of us fear we are losing,
Federal Judge Permanently Bars DeVos from Diverting CARES Funds to Private Schools While Trump appointees are doing their best to impose their policies before January 20, a federal judge in California told Betsy DeVos in no equivocal terms by a federal judge that she cannot divert CARES money to private schools. The nation’s nearly 100,000 public schools received $13.2 billion in CARES funding,
The Legacy Of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos What to make of the tenure of U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos depends, like Beauty itself, on the eye of the beholder. To the president who asked her to run the Department of Education, she was a loyal lieutenant who argued for her department's irrelevance in a nation where control of schools is a local affair — that is, until she argued the opp
Another Message from Our Esteemed Chancellor Dear Colleagues, This has been an eventful and challenging year on so many levels. Not for me, of course. I’ve been able to not only sit in my office at Tweed, but also stay home and not even get out of bed over the past several weeks. To date, we have seen a COVID-19 positivity rate of only 0.19 percent out of more than 120,000 students and staff tes
Covid-19 In Historic Context If we truly wanted to deal with Covid-19 in an effective manner, designed to minimize and ultimately stop its continuing- yet avoidable- murderous effects on our species, we would have to look at all the historical and scientific factors, that we have so far ignored, that have made us the prime target for such a pandemic- or other plague- that we clearly have the sci
As District Covid Cases Increase, McKeesport Schools Remain Open Temporarily Next week, McKeesport Area School District will go fully remote to keep students safe from an ongoing outbreak of Covid-19 at several district buildings. Two new cases are suspected today at the western Pennsylvania district, says a source close to the school board. However all district buildings were open, and administ
District staff to start subbing... sort of... (draft) You know I wish I didn't have to write pieces like this, ones where I point out how little the district cares about its staff, and this time they are showing it by doing as little as possible to avert the subbing crisis or lack of sub crisis if you will, that is going on in the district. To help out, district staff for two days only will be s
Should we talk about blended learning? Some in the UFT do not think so I submitted a resolution to this month’s Delegate Assembly – to move away from Blended Learning . I am attaching the text at the bottom. I submitted as late as possible – five minutes before the deadline – assuming that I would be #14 on the list and it would not come up. I was a bit surprised – there were only two submission
Next week, McKeesport Area School District will go fully remote to keep students safe from an ongoing outbreak of Covid-19 at several district buildings. Two new cases are suspected today at the western Pennsylvania district, says a source close to the school board. However all district buildings were open, and administrators say classes will continue in-person Thursday and Friday. On Monday, the
“ The idea that public schools have failed us is a propaganda campaign. Right now we see a lot of parents being upset at school districts and teachers, wondering why they can’t send their children back to school. The bigger problem is there’s a lack of government leadership dealing with fundamental problems of a pandemic, causing community spread that’s out of control. Until we get rid of the spi
After more than a month into New York City’s experiment with reopening schools in a hybrid format that has students alternating between classrooms and their homes, teacher Sapphira Hendrix still finds herself working until 1 or 2 o’clock in the morning, planning lessons and responding to students. One night in particular, she recounts, when finishing up a lesson plan for one of her classes, she g
College Debt Sucks I passed a milestone a couple of months back--I paid off the last of my children's college loans. I went to college back in the 70s. My entire undergrad education cost about $16K. I could have paid for some of it with the proceeds of my summer job, but my parents covered the costs and that allowed me to save for grad school and to start out on my feet. Lots of my friends from
Showing Faces (or Not) in Remote Instruction This year, our school has asked students to show their faces during remote instruction. This is a large improvement for those of us out here doing the work. Some say this is an intrusion on student privacy. There are workarounds, though, for students uncomfortable with showing their faces or homes. Students can use virtual backgrounds, and many do. Fo
Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007 Big Education Ape: THIS WEEK IN EDUCATION Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2020/11/this-week-in-education-larry-ferlazzos_14.html “Give Students Choice When It’s Time to Read” by Larry Ferlazzo / 11h Giv
Big Education Ape TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES Progressives turned out for Joe Biden. Now they want a big role - - https://www.kten.com/story/42921925/progressives-turned-out-for-joe-biden-