Should Every High School Graduate Go To College?
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Employers want college graduates who can write, think, solve problems, and
have technical proficiency with high-tech software and hardware to keep
their co...
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...
“Democracy”: The Corrosion of the Republican Party
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Our reader “Democracy” posted the following comment about the Presidential
election: In April of 2012, Norman Ornstein and Thomas Mann, two of the
most res...
ICYMI: Catch Breath Edition (11/10)
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I have nothing to add. I can't read any more hot takes about the election
(they are mostly crap) and I have just about arrived at the point of
getting pa...
Backward, in High Heels
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If someone suggests a Women’s March, so help me… (Twitter comment) I
remember sitting in the teachers’ lunchroom at my middle school, January
2001, and hav...
What Was That?
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“He had become lonely in his mind, he knew: he no longer encountered other
people even in his thoughts.” ― Tom Crewe Still trying to process just what
just...
An Alternative to Assembly Line Education
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*The teacher . . . is not a machine which follows a certain syllabus, which
has certain lessons to recite to the child, and too make him recite them
bac...
The Election Story in One Visual
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When George Clooney, Michael Moore, and the New York Times decided last
summer that Biden was too old to be President, it never occurred to them,
apparen...
no one asked (the sorcery of simply asking)
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[Header Photo by Nathan Anderson on Unsplash] no one askedhow i arrived
here what are you doing here?why are you here? sure but never the how these
religio...
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...
The Resistance Starts Now !
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*The Resistance Starts Now*
I still have faith in America, but we must mobilize to protect those at
risk if Trump achieves his worst impulses.
ROBER...
¡Sabemos lo que hay que hacer!
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Estamos listos para construyir un futuro mejor después de las elecciones.
Estamos a horas de la elección más importante- y quizás la decisión más
important...
“Project 1897”
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Much has been written about “Project 2025,” supposedly a blueprint for a
second Trump Presidency. I have learned that candidate Trump had nothing
to do wi...
October’s Parent Engagement Resources
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"We need dads to make a difference not just in school, but in our
societies." – parenting coach Dion Chavis @NimahGobir 3 Strategies for
Encouraging Dads’ ...
Try Substack?
-
Seems like the popular new thing. Here’s my first try – it’s about
yesterday’s UFT Retired Teachers Chapter meeting – first ever not run by
Unity. (Spoiler...
Number 18 — A barely-hanging-on Blogoversary
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Blogoversary #18 SEPTEMBER 14, 2006 I started this blog while I was still
teaching, in 2006. I had just begun my 31st year as an educator. Just like
in pre...
Student "Growth" Measures Are STILL Biased
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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 ...
Volunteer in 2024
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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?
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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!
-
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 García
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
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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 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 →
Déjà vu: 2019 ELA Assessment: Dear Board of Regents
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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
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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
-
I have some news: I am retiring from the PBS NewsHour and Learning Matters.
[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other
conte...
Flaws at the Heart of Current Education Reforms
-
Originally posted on Creative by Nature:
“Teaching is an art form rooted in the wise and careful use of educational
research and assessment tools. When gove...
The MAP Test
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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...
geralt / Pixabay I had previously posted the questions I was going to ask students in my half-hour daily live class (see Here Are The Questions I’m Having ELL Newcomer Students Answer In An End-Of-Year Class Evaluation ). I had asked them to focus only on our distance learning time, not the earlier part of the year. Here are the results: 1.How hard did you work to learn English these past 7 weeks
The Tulsa Race Massacre happened ninety-nine years ago. Here are teaching and learning resources. I’m adding this list to “Best” Lists Of The Week: Resources For Teaching & Learning About Race & Racism. The Massacre Of Black Wall Street is a short online graphic novel The Watchmen television show did with the Atlantic marketing team. As fans of the show know, the Tulsa massacre opens the series a
Fall Is a ‘Tremendous Opportunity to Reimagine School’ is the headline of my latest Education Week Teacher column. Four educators share their visions of what the fall could (or should) look like in schools, including emphasizing social-emotional learning and taking the opportunity to focus on anti-racist education. Here are some excerpts:
If you are still teaching, I think this new video from Reese Waters, a commentator at the CBS affiliate in Washington, D.C., would be good to show as part of a discussion of what’s happening in Minneapolis. There are a lot of good ideas at New & Revised: A Collection Of Advice On Talking To Students About Race & Racism about how to frame a lesson and discussion. I particularly like Preparing to D
Acclaimed director Ava DuVernay today unveiled a new site that will contain lessons to to ultimately accompany all her films. The first is is a “learning companion” for When They See Us, her Netflix film about five young African American men who were wrongly convicted of rape. It also includes an impressive lesson to help students identify media bias today. You can learn about the site at this Fa
Alexas_Fotos / Pixabay This would be a great video to show students. I’m adding it to A BEGINNING LIST OF THE BEST RESOURCES FOR LEARNING ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS .
GDJ / Pixabay For teachers, especially those of us who are white, who are still in school, these two resources might be helpful when considering how to talk about the murder of George Floyd: New & Revised: Resources To Help Us Predominantly White Teachers To Reflect On How Race Influences Our Work New & Revised: A Collection Of Advice On Talking To Students About Race & Racism You can find many a
We all know it, but The San Francisco Chronicle laid it all out for California ( Thermometers, masks and lonely lunches: State schools chief previews what’s in store for students ) and The Washington Post described it for the nation ( Public schools face a fall with a lot more costs and a lot less funding ): In order to re-open in the fall, schools are going to have a lot more expenses, but their
Responses to ‘Why Do I Have to Learn This?’ is the headline of my latest Education Week Teacher column. Five educators describe how they help students see the relevancy of lessons, including through the use of empathy and analogies. Here are some excerpts:
Events this week have – once again – highlighted why we (and I mean us white educators) need to emphasize anti-racist education. I’m adding these new resources to various “Best” lists. You can find links to all of those many lists that relate to race and racism at “Best” Lists Of The Week: Resources For Teaching & Learning About Race & Racism: This is best resources I’ve seen this week: White fol
geralt / Pixabay Thanks to Stanford Education for tweeting out this amazing video. I’m adding it to The Best Teaching/Learning Resources On The Musical, “Hamilton”
Wokandapix / Pixabay Here are new additions to THE BEST POSTS PREDICTING WHAT SCHOOLS WILL LOOK LIKE IN THE FALL : Germany, Vietnam, and New Zealand have reopened schools. Here’s what the US can learn. is a very good overview, with several videos. It’s from Vox. ‘Kids will be kids’: Furtive hugs, complex logistics on South Korea’s first day back at school is from The L.A. Times. The Los Angeles C
Adding Relevance to Instruction is the headline of my latest Education Week Teacher column. Seven educators write about ways they have injected relevance into their lessons, ranging from applying culturally responsive instruction to inviting students to be “co-teachers.” Here are some excerpts:
Back to school? 1 in 5 teachers are unlikely to return to reopened classrooms this fall, poll says is an article in USA Today that shares some pretty wild poll results. There’s a lot more than the quote I highlighted above – check it out. I’m adding it to THE BEST POSTS PREDICTING WHAT SCHOOLS WILL LOOK LIKE IN THE FALL .
geralt / Pixabay Last week, I shared the questions I was putting into a Google Form for my IB Theory of Knowledge students to answer in their anonymous evaluation of our class’ distance learning time (see Here Are The Questions I’m Having Students Answer In My End-Of-Distance-Learning Evaluation ). Here are the ones I’m asking my ELL Newcomer students – again, in a Google Form: How hard did you w
Though it’s no surprise, NPR’s story The Pandemic Is Driving America’s Schools Toward A Financial Meltdown was not a great way to start the day. It follows up last week’s news in California about the possibility of teacher layoffs here: California districts could pursue teacher layoffs if new state budget cuts K-12 funding . Not a pretty picture….
Ways to Make Lessons ‘Relevant’ to Students’ Lives is the headline of my latest Education Week Teacher column. Six educators share strategies for making lessons directly relevant to students’ lives, including by building relationships, celebrating cultures, and applying a concept called “Hooks and Bridges.” Here are some excerpts:
BiljaST / Pixabay Six years ago I began this regular feature where I share a few posts and resources from around the Web related to ESL/EFL or to language in general that have caught my attention. You might also be interested in THE BEST RESOURCES, ARTICLES & BLOG POSTS FOR TEACHERS OF ELLS IN 2019 – PART ONE and THE BEST RESOURCES, ARTICLES & BLOG POSTS FOR TEACHERS OF ELLS IN 2019 – PART TWO. A
geralt / Pixabay I’ve just mailed out the June issue of my very simple free monthly email newsletter . It has over 3,000 subscribers, and you can subscribe here . Of course, you can also join the eighteen thousand others who subscribe to this blog daily. Here Are 8 Ways You Can Subscribe For Free…
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
Here’s my regular round-up of new “The Best…” lists I posted this month (you can see all 2,153 of them categorized here ): THE BEST SITES FOR CREATING NOT TOTALLY USELESS WORD SEARCHES THE BEST IDEAS FOR ONLINE ACTIVITIES TO USE WHEN TEACHING ELLS REMOTELY – SHARE MORE! THE BEST – & MOST INTERESTING – RESOURCES FOR STUDYING HISTORY
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 Thirteenth Anniversary Of This Blog – Here Are The Forty All-Time Most Popular Posts. Not to mention THE MOST POPULAR POSTS F
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
Clker-Free-Vector-Images / Pixabay I’m adding these resources to The Best Sites For Learning About The World’s Different Cultures : What grocery hauls look like around the world right now is from The Washington Post. Pick a Card and Be Transported: 7 Board Games From Around the World is from The NY Times.
This week is a big one when it comes to the possible re-opening of schools in the fall. On Wednesday, the Los Angeles County Office of Education will unveil its “framework” for school re-opening. On June 1st, the Sacramento County Office of Education will release its reopening guidelines . I’m assuming there will be a flurry of other agencies doing the same, even though the best piece I’ve read o
So many of us are using Google Classroom, but our districts use other Learning Management Systems (Infinite Campus for us). Grade Transferer will take care of it for you, and I’ve embedded a video showing how it works for Infinite Campus. I also hope we’re all being very flexible with grades, as I point out in this tweet: But in the midst of this, please continue to deduct points for missed assig
Spreading ‘Poetry Love’ in the Classroom is the headline of my latest Education Week Teacher column. Nine educators share instructional strategies they use to teach poetry, including through read-alouds and through studying and writing odes. Here are some excerpts: I’m adding it to The Best World Poetry Day Resources – Help Me Find More .
geralt / Pixabay Last week, I wrote a pos t sharing my preliminary thoughts about how I was going to teach U.S. History to English Language Learners – either online, in person, or a hybrid. It will be a combination class of both Newcomers and Intermediates. I usually use the two-volume America’s Story textbook and supplement it with activities on our U.S. History class blog , online activities fr
I regularly highlight my picks for the most useful posts for each month — not including “The Best…” lists. I also use some of them in a more extensive monthly newsletter I send-out. You can see older Best Posts of the Month at Websites Of The Month (more recent lists can be found here ). You can also see my all-time favorites here . I’ve also been doing “A Look Back” series reviewing old favorite
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
Alexas_Fotos / Pixabay I always learn a lot from the anonymous end-of-semester evaluations I have students complete (see Best Posts On Students Evaluating Classes (And Teachers) ) and always make the results public. The “making them public part can sometime lead to interesting situations, like last year’s Washington Post headline Teacher asks students to grade him. One wrote: ‘I give Mr. Ferlazzo
7 Ways Educators Can Help Students Cope in a Pandemic is an excellent ASCD piece by school counselor Phyllis L. Fagell. I’d probably make a slight edit by putting “much of” in there, as in “they’re not going to remember much of what they learned,” but it’s a minor quibble. There is some similarity between this advice and The Best Piece Of Classroom Management Advice I Ever Read . I’m adding this
Alice Mercer teaches third grade at an elementary school in Sacramento, CA. She started her career in Oakland, Ca, and moved to Sacramento in 2001. She is the parent of a now-adult son with ASD, and is a caregiver to her husband who is medically fragile. Alice is active in her union and on social media. “I’ve tried A! I’ve tried B! I’ve tried C! I’ve tried D! Tell me what else I can try!” This co
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 CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION IN 2019 – PART TWO. Here are this week’s picks: Research-Based Instructional Strategies is from Clearview Schools.