Reading Reform We Refuse to Choose
-
[Header Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash] Since the early 1980s, the US
has been in a constant cycle of accountability-based reform in education.
By 2001 ...
Appreciating Teachers
-
As another ‘Teacher Appreciation Week’ comes to a close, let’s ask whether
classroom teaching is truly a profession. Perhaps it’s a calling. Or maybe
it’s ...
Drug-Resistant Infections
-
The growing global threat posed by superbugs resistant to existing drugs
will make the Covid pandemic “look minor”, the UK’s special envoy on
antimicr...
2024’s Best Posts From This Blog – So Far
-
As usual, I’m kicking-off my mid-year “Best” lists with my choices for
the best posts from this blog so far. It also includes my choices from the
last t...
Gridiron Parent, Contact Me
-
Gridiron parent, could you please contact me about your comment on
recruiting at Roosevelt High School?
sss.westbrook@gmail.com
Thanks!
ICYMI: Feeling Appreciated Edition (5/12)
-
Was it a good week? Do you feel appreciated now? Good, because it's time
for the world to move on to other things. But in the meantime, here's some
readi...
Can Historians Help School Reformers?
-
Historians are divided over what can be learned from history. Some find
that knowing the past can inform the present. Others say that the past has
no lesso...
UFT Retiree Election – You Can Make a Difference
-
Ballots were mailed today. Our moment is near at hand. But what can we
still do? You probably already know about voting yourself, and using social
media. S...
Yes, There is Such a Thing as a Stupid Question
-
They say there are no stupid questions, but I beg to differ. We hear stupid
questions almost every time adults and young children are together.
For ins...
The Grinch Who Stole Teacher Appreciation Week
-
I’ve always been of the opinion that teachers get so few routine perks in
their professional lives they deserve every random treat or award that
meanders t...
GYO and Matt Damon’s Mom
-
I hope this message finds you well. I am thrilled to share some exciting
news about our Western Michigan University Grow Your Own (GYO) program,
which is g...
A Call for Segregation, Exclusion and Caste
-
By Thomas Ultican 5/8/2024 Republicans, following the lead of Manhattan
Institute’s Christopher Rufo, are out to end Diversity, Equity and
Inclusion (DEI) ...
No more student data sales by College Board/ACT!
-
Here is the presentation we gave to parents from many states throughout the
nation, with tips on how to ensure their children’s data is not sold by the
Col...
How Did It Come to This?
-
Duval County Public Schools has named its two finalists for the
Superintendent’s position: Christopher Bernier (Lee County, FL former
superintendent who re...
THE BOY WHO CRIED 'FAKE NEWS!' AN ORWELLIAN TALE
-
*THE BOY WHO CRIED 'FAKE NEWS!'*
*AN ORWELLIAN TALE*
Introduction
Once upon a current era, in the towering shadows of opulence and power,
dwelt Donald...
FINDING AND BUILDING COMMUNITY
-
AI Requires Entirely Different Communities (Part 7 of 7) A few years ago, I
created the Facebook site, Education For Their Future Not Our Past. I was
aware...
April’s Parent Engagement Resources
-
How a Humboldt Park school is helping parents learn English and gain
confidence is from Chalkbeat. Reminded of two great .@IESResearch resources
after read...
Bibliography for History Posts on This Blog
-
I remember when school reformers insisted the biggest problem
in education was that teachers didn't come from the best colleges.
Bibliography
VER...
Critical Race Theory Is About You, and All of Us
-
Recently, Christina Cross, a Black woman sociologist at Harvard, found her
work at the crosshairs of the same person who brought us the bastardization
of...
Let’s recall just how bad a president Trump was!
-
For the record, concerning Covid:, this is from Quora: ———- President Trump
tweeted that 17,000 people died from Swine Flu under Obama. How does this
compa...
March 5, 2024: The time for delay has passed
-
It is time to open the ballot sitting on my kitchen counter. Only, the more
I learn of politics, the…
The post March 5, 2024: The time for delay has pass...
A Change of Plans
-
Last September, in a piece titled Where We Expect To Retire, I informed
folks that we were planning to move to Kendal Crosslands Communities, the
Crossla...
Wisdom from the Sage of Mount Vernon
-
Words of wisdom appropriate to our time. …from George Washington, America’s
first President, on President’s Day. (Edited and updated from a previous
post) ...
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 ...
2023 In Review And What’s To Come In 2024
-
2023 is almost complete and it was a busy, challenging, rewarding, and fun
year. The news of the world was sometimes too much to watch. Countries were
dest...
Volunteer in 2024
-
Be the change, volunteer and make the difference! Let’s face it, the world
is in turmoil, and divisive politics in our country is threatening our
democracy...
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...
Lying Liars of the NYC DOE
-
The APPR travails continue.
When last I blogged I shared how my principal, XXXXXXXX XXXXX of PS XXX did
an end run around me. I was refused to be obser...
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
-
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.
-
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*
*Most people would agree that the primary purpose of education is to
prepare children for a good and productive life. ...
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...
Hello world!
-
Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then
start writing!
The post Hello world! first appeared on Just another WordPress site.
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
-
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 García
in her final keynote address to the 2020 NEA Representative Assembly and
it’s up...
A Citizens’ Rebellion 2020
-
The United States began to form after the rebellion against the King of
England when the settlers in the colonies along the eastern coast reacted
to the in...
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
-
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 →
Déjà vu: 2019 ELA Assessment: Dear Board of Regents
-
Dear Board of Regents,
I have copied below an email I sent to you almost a year ago, after the
2018 ELA assessment's computer-based testing failures and mo...
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
-
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...
Education Bloggers Daily Highlights 3/2/2017
-
Education Bloggers Daily Highlights 3/1/2017 Education Bloggers Daily
Highlights Courtesy of Big Education Ape A special thank you to education
blogger Mik...
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...
Six years ago, in another somewhat futile attempt to reduce the backlog of resources I want to share, I began this occasional “” post where I share three or four links I think are particularly useful and related to…ed tech, including some Web 2.0 apps. You might also be interested in THE BEST ED TECH RESOURCES OF 2019 – PART ONE , as well as checking out all my edtech resources . You might also w
As regular readers know, at the end of each week I share the five most popular posts from the previous seven days. I thought people might find it interesting to see a list of the ten most popular posts from the previous thirty days. You might also be interested in IT’S THE TWELFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THIS BLOG – HERE ARE THE FORTY ALL-TIME MOST POPULAR POSTS. Not to mention THE MOST POPULAR POSTS FROM
PublicCo / Pixabay I’m adding this new infographic to The Best Sites For Learning About The World’s Oceans : You will find more infographics at Statista
AbsolutVision / Pixabay I’ve previously posted an animated summary of the book, Switch, which has a lot of ideas applicable to education. I’m including that video in this post but, today, a revised version was just published on YouTube by Productivity Game (which was the same site that published the other video two years ago. Here is the new one: Here’s the old one: And here’s one about one of th
Q&A Collections: Instructional Strategies is the headline of my latest Education Week Teacher column. All Classroom Q&A posts offering advice on Instructional Strategies (from the past eight years!) are described and linked to in this compilation post. Here’s an excerpt from one of them:
OpenClipart-Vectors / Pixabay Here are new additions to THE BEST RESOURCES ON TEENS DEMANDING AN EFFECTIVE RESPONSE TO CLIMATE CHANGE : ‘We will make them hear us’: Millions of youths around the world strike for action is from The Washington Post. Millions take to the streets as climate strike protests hit cities across Asia, Europe is from NBC News. “We vote next.” Millions of young people aroun
Pexels / Pixabay I’m one day late: Happy birthday to Paulo Freire, a champion of literacy for all! (September 19, 1921 — May 2, 1997) pic.twitter.com/mxCbzdqTE5 — edutopia (@edutopia) September 19, 2018 Nevertheless, I thought readers would find it useful to see a list of my previous posts related to Paulo Freire: Quote Of The Day: Wisdom From Paulo Freire A LOOK BACK: “USING FREIRE & FOTOBABBLE
I’m fairly active on Pinterest and, in fact, have curated 19,000 resources there that I haven’t shared on this blog. I thought readers might find it useful if I began sharing a handful of my most recent “pins” each week (I’m not sure if you can see them through an RSS Reader – you might have to click through to the original post). You might also be interested in My Seven Most Popular Pins In 2018
What Are Your Best Classroom-Management Tips? is the new question-of-the-week at my Education Week Teacher column. Feel free to leave a response in the comments sections there or here…
There is a lot of content available on this blog – especially after posting for thirteen years! I know it can seem overwhelming. Here is a short list of my choices for the best and most useful resources you can access here: A Collection Of My Best Resources On Parent Engagement A Collection Of My Best Resources On Student Motivation A Collection Of My Best Resources On Teaching English Language L
Wokandapix / Pixabay Here’s a video segment that appeared on tonight’s PBS NewsHour. You can read the transcript here . I’m adding it to The Best World Poetry Day Resources – Help Me Find More .
How to Keep Teachers From Leaving the Profession is an excellent article in The Atlantic by KRISTINA RIZGA. I’m adding it to The Best Resources On Professional Development For Teachers — Help Me Find More .
is the headline of my latest Education Week Teacher column. A six-part series on why educators must “see color” is wrapped by Justin A. Coles, Dr. Chezare A. Warren, and Christopher Emdin. This series has been guest-edited by Shannon R. Waite, Ed.D. Here are some excerpts: I’m adding the series to THE BEST RESPONSES TO “I DON’T SEE COLOR”
Don’t even ask me to explain all the details of this new study, Reciprocal Effects between Reading Achievement and Intrinsic and Extrinsic Reading Motivation. However, I did understand its section titled “Practical implications for teaching practices” (oh, how I wish more research papers had sections with that title!), and the excerpt at the top of this blog post comes from that portion of the pa
Free-Photos / Pixabay Playing For Change’s “Songs Around The World” are always delightful, and usable in the classroom. The newest one doesn’t disappoint.
Wokandapix / Pixabay Here are new additions to The Best Resources For Hispanic Heritage Month : Hispanic Heritage Month | All About the Holidays is from PBS. #NBCLATINO20 is from NBC News. Key facts about U.S. Hispanics and their diverse heritage is from the Pew Research Center. Lesson of the Day: ‘Does Hispanic Heritage Month Need a Rebrand?’ is from The NY Times Learning Network. Heritage Month
Tumisu / Pixabay The latest in a year-long series of student strikes demanding action on climate change is planned for this Friday. Here are some resources on it, and I’ll be adding this post to THE BEST RESOURCES ON TEENS DEMANDING AN EFFECTIVE RESPONSE TO CLIMATE CHANGE : Climate Strike N.Y.C.: 1.1 Million Can Skip School for Protest is from The NY Times. Greta Thunberg is leading kids and adul
OpenClipart-Vectors / Pixabay Here is Sandy Hook Promise’s new and powerful PSA on gun violence in schools. You can read more about it at The New York Times article, With Harrowing Ads, Gun Safety Groups Push a Darker Reality . I’m adding it to my other materials on gun violence .
I’m making a change in the content of the regular feature. In addition to sharing the top five posts that have received the most “hits” in the preceding seven days (though they may have originally been published on an earlier date), I will also include the top five posts that have actually appeared in the past week. Often, these are different posts. You might also be interested in IT’S THE TWELFT
When People Say They Don’t See Race, ‘I Ask Them If They Don’t See Me’ is the headline of my latest Education Week Teacher column. In it, Dr. Marcelle Mentor, Jane Bolgatz, and Dr. Akane Zusho discuss the costs of not addressing colorblindness in education. This post is Part Five in a series guest-edited by Shannon R. Waite, Ed.D. Here are some excerpts:
GDJ / Pixabay This is a question I’ve been thinking about for awhile, and I’m eager to hear answers from readers. Lots of people give advice about classroom instruction, but who should we really take seriously? There seems to me some fairly obvious people who go on the list, like our local school administrators, assuming we respect their judgment (and, if our job is dependent on gaining their app
Q&A Collections: Professional Development is the headline of my latest Education Week Teacher column. All Classroom Q&A posts offering advice on Professional Development (from the past eight years!) are described and linked to in this compilation post. Here’s an excerpt from one of them:
picjumbo_com / Pixabay We do a school-wide writing assessment each fall, which students then take again in the spring (using the same article and prompt). We also use an asset-focused “improvement rubric” to evaluate student writing (see earlier guest posts “Inquiry” vs. “Diagnostic” Frameworks For Writing Assessments and “Instead of seeing students as Far Below Basic or Advanced, we see them as
A new study finds that adverse childhood experiences (called ACEs) experienced by children can a least somewhat mitigated by what it calls “Counter-ACES,” including having a trusting relationship with a caring teacher. Check out For kids who face trauma, good neighbors or teachers can save their longterm health. I’m adding it to The Best Ways For Responding To Student Trauma – Help Me Find More .
My latest ten-minute BAM! Radio Show is on How Can Students Write for ‘Authentic’ Audiences? and What Difference Does It Make? I’m joined in the conversation by Katherine Schulten, Kelly Love and Tatiana Esteban, who have also all contributed written commentaries to my Ed Week Teacher column. I’m adding this show to All My BAM Radio Shows – Linked With Descriptions .
Maklay62 / Pixabay Eight Ways To Help English Language Learners Feel Motivated To Read & Write is the headline of my latest post for The British Council. Many of the ideas in the article can easily apply to non-ELLs, too. You can see all my British Council posts here . I’m adding this particular one to: Best Posts On “Motivating” Students Best Posts On Writing Instruction
is the headline of my latest Education Week Teacher column. In it, Jia Lee, Melissa Payne, and Brady Smith write about the myth of “not seeing race.” This post is Part Four in a series guest-edited by Shannon R. Waite, Ed.D. Here are some excerpts:
JESHOOTS-com / Pixabay Student cellphone use in class is definitely a problem. However, I consider it more of an annoyance than one worthy of some of the kind of “nuclear options” some schools are taking by having students put them into pouches (see Ed Week’s recent article, Schools Say No to Cellphones in Class. But Is It a Smart Move? ). This year, one way I’ve tried to get ahead of the issue a
ar130405 / Pixabay Thanks to Rusul Alrubail for sharing this video on Twitter. I’m adding it to New & Revised: Resources To Help Us Predominantly White Teachers To Reflect On How Race Influences Our Work ..
GDJ / Pixabay Fifty-six years ago today four African-American girls were killed when their church was bombed in Birmingham, Alabama. You might be interested in The Best Resources For Learning About The Birmingham Church Bombing.
bodobe / Pixabay Artbreeder lets you create art – for free – that you can then use anyway you want. Here’s how Recomendo describes it: Using deep learning (AI) algorithms it generates multiple photo-realistic “children” mutations