Outside My Kitchen Window
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If you live in North America, chances are you might live near a Cooper’s
Hawk. You might be lucky enough to spot a Cooper’s Hawk darting through
trees...
ICYMI: Blizzard Edition (12/8)
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We finally got hit this week, resulting in two snow days to start the
weekend. The board of directors here at the institute have enjoyed honing
their sid...
“Science” as Bad Faith Bullying
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[Header Photo by jesse orrico on Unsplash] The more things change, the more
things stay the same. Especially in America. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The
Great Ga...
Around the Public Education Horn
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[image: Image]
Look what's on the DOGE Dopey Boys list, *Head Start and Pell Grants.* I
would bet they get rid of some of the Department of Education in...
Gifts of Christmas Past
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In a holiday-themed archetype of legislative overreach, Alabama passed an
ethics law back in 2011, forbidding K-12 school teachers from accepting
expensive...
Trump and McMahon’s America First Agenda
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Linda McMahon, Trump's nominee for Secretary of Education, is Board Chair
of America First, which has an agenda for K-12 schools. It is filled with a
sub...
Building Community Amid Uncertain Doom
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Over the last few weeks, I’ve had good opportunities to be “in community.”
One of those opportunities happened at The Cutting Room, where School of
...
...
SPI Leads Effort to Protect U.S. Education Dept.
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State Superintendent Tony Thurmond meets with members of Congress, leading
effort across states to protect the United States Department of Education.
1798
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Year 1798
__________
Three alien acts gave the president the power “without trial or even a
statement of his reasons, to banish foreigners from the ...
Billionaire Sponsored Malarkey from Education Trust
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By Thomas Ultican 12/3/2024 Education Trust (aka EdTrust), using what it
calls equity analysis, critiqued various states’ Every Student Succeeds Act
(ESSA)...
Peace at the Thanksgiving Dinner Table
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I was concerned about having Thanksgiving with family because I did not
want to get into heated political discussions about the 2024 presidential
election....
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...
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...
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...
¡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...
A message from Quaker Meeting for Worship
-
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...
Try Substack?
-
Seems like the popular new thing. Here’s my first try – it’s about
yesterday’s UFT Retired Teachers Chapter meeting – first ever not run by
Unity. (Spoiler...
Number 18 — A barely-hanging-on Blogoversary
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Blogoversary #18 SEPTEMBER 14, 2006 I started this blog while I was still
teaching, in 2006. I had just begun my 31st year as an educator. Just like
in pre...
Student "Growth" Measures Are STILL Biased
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This caught my attention:
New Jersey school districts may soon be evaluated differently, *with a
greater emphasis on student growth* as compared to stud...
AIN’T IT AWFUL
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As the terrible feelings of dread and angst spread across the world the
great majority of the American people feel powerless before the onslaught
of those ...
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!
-
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...
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
-
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
-
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!
-
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...
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
-
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 …?
-
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 →
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?
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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)
-
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
-
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
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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
-
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. . . .
-
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...
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...
Dear White Educators
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Dear White Educators,
I struggle with you. I struggle with me. I struggle with how, if, and when
to write us this letter. There is no perfect time, no per...
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
-
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...
I thought that new – and veteran – readers might find it interesting if I began sharing my best posts from the first half of this year. You can see the entire collection of best posts from the past thirteen years here . Many teachers
bmoreprep / Pixabay Here are some very important and impressive additions to The Best Resources For Teaching About Confederate Monuments : Confederate monuments are falling, but hundreds still stand. Here’s where. is from The Washington Post. A Monumental Shift is a Washington Post interactive.
As President Trump holds his rally in Tulsa today, I thought it would be useful to share some important new additions to MAY 31ST & JUNE 1ST WERE THE DATES OF THE TULSA RACE MASSACRE – HERE ARE TEACHING & LEARNING RESOURCES : Tulsa's story remains unheard by many Americans. In Oklahoma, we've worked hard & continue to work hard to tell that story. To learn more about Tulsa & #BlackWallStreet , fe
Wokandapix / Pixabay I have a number of regular weekly features (see HERE IS A LIST (WITH LINKS) OF ALL MY REGULAR WEEKLY FEATURES ). This is a relatively new addition to that list. Some of these resources will be added to The Best Advice On Teaching K-12 Online (If We Have To Because Of The Coronavirus) – Please Make More Suggestions ! and the best will go to The “Best Of The Best” Resources To
Here are many new additions to The Best Resources For Learning About Juneteenth : Why Juneteenth Matters is from The NY Times. Five myths about Juneteenth is from The Washington Post. Usher: Why it’s so important that Juneteenth become a national holiday is from The Washington Post. Original ‘Juneteenth’ order found in the National Archives is from The Washington Post. Juneteenth celebrates ‘a mo
Even though I believe that New York Times columnist David Brooks actually does write a good column now-and-then, his track record on when he writes about education issues is absolutely abysmal . Today, though, he finally got one right when he wrote about the fallacy that better education leads to economic and social equality. I’m adding it to The Best Resources On Why Improving Education Is Not T
is the headline of my latest Education Week Teacher column. All Classroom Q&A posts talking about Race & Racism in education (from the past nine years!) are described and linked to in this compilation post. Here’s an excerpt from one of them:
BiljaST / Pixabay Six years ago I began this regular feature where I share a few posts and resources from around the Web related to ESL/EFL or to language in general that have caught my attention. You might also be interested in THE BEST RESOURCES, ARTICLES & BLOG POSTS FOR TEACHERS OF ELLS IN 2019 – PART ONE and THE BEST RESOURCES, ARTICLES & BLOG POSTS FOR TEACHERS OF ELLS IN 2019 – PART TWO. A
Eight years ago, in another somewhat futile attempt to reduce the backlog of resources I want to share, I began this occasional “” post where I share three or four links I think are particularly useful and related to…ed tech, including some Web 2.0 apps. You might also be interested in THE BEST ED TECH RESOURCES OF 2019 – PART TWO , as well as checking out all my edtech resources . Here are this
johnhain / Pixabay Anders Ericsson, well-known researcher of “deliberate practice” and the “10,000 hour rule,” died yesterday, sadly. I interviewed him a while back for Education week ( ‘Peak’: An Interview With Anders Ericsson & Robert Pool ) and you can see quite a bit of info on his work at The Best Resources For Learning About The 10,000 Hour Rule & Deliberate Practice . You could start with
StartupStockPhotos / Pixabay You’ve probably already heard the good news, but I thought I’d pull together some tweets and videos that provide a little more substance to it (including how it affects education): The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday blocked the Trump administration's plan to end DACA. Here’s what to know about the policy, where it stands, and how it reached the Supreme Court. https://
OpenClipart-Vectors / Pixabay This new USA Today video is simplistic, but it’s useful because it’s short and highlights info and research I have in text on two “Best” lists. I’m adding it to those lists: The Best Sites For Learning About Protests In History The Best Posts & Articles On Building Influence & Creating Change
G4889166 / Pixabay Saturday will be the longest day of the year. You might be interested in The Best Resources For Learning About The Summer Solstice .
As I do every June, I’ve begun publishing mid-year “Best” lists. I’ll list the ones I’ve already posted, and continue to update it here as the month goes on. There should eventually be about twenty of them. You can see all previous annual “Best” collections here . Here they are: THE BEST WEB 2.0 APPLICATIONS FOR EDUCATION IN 2020 – PART ONE The Best Online Learning Games – 2020 (Part One) A LOOK
Another day, another mid-year “Best” list. The first was THE BEST WEB 2.0 APPLICATIONS FOR EDUCATION IN 2020 – PART ONE The second was The Best Online Learning Games – 2020 (Part One) The third was A LOOK BACK: 2020’S BEST POSTS FROM THIS BLOG – PART ONE The fourth was The Best Videos For Educators – 2020 (Part One). Now, it’s time for research studies. You can see all previous editions of this l
PhotoMIX-Company / Pixabay Today, Twitter released a feature available for the iPhone where you can make a short audio recording: You can Tweet a Tweet. But now you can Tweet your voice! Rolling out today on iOS, you can now record and Tweet with audio. pic.twitter.com/jezRmh1dkD — Twitter (@Twitter) June 17, 2020 It will be rolling out over the next few weeks. It could come in handy for English
viarami / Pixabay TED has just released this video on YouTube, and you can read the transcript here . I’m adding it to New & Revised: Resources To Help Us Predominantly White Teachers To Reflect On How Race Influences Our Work .
It’s not just an issue of “self-discipline” or “character.” Student “misbehavior” also has other causes, which I’ve written about a lot in The Best Resources Showing Social Emotional Learning Isn’t Enough. Even though today’s NY Times article, When Impulse Buys Make You Feel Safe , is written from the perspective a parent, it can easily be applied to how many our students see the world (again, as
What Anti-racist Teachers Do Differently is a new article in The Atlantic written by a San Francisco high school principal, Pierette McKamey. I’m adding it to: New & Revised: Resources To Help Us Predominantly White Teachers To Reflect On How Race Influences Our Work The “Best” Lists Of Recommendations About What “Effective” Teachers Do
Today marks five years since The Emanuel AME massacre. You might be interested in Resources For Learning About #Charlottesville . 5 years ago on this date, these 9 people were killed by a white supremacist at the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, SC. #Emanuel9 pic.twitter.com/Jl9AEvfIwZ — philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) June 17, 2020
‘Teaching That Activates & Leverages Background Knowledge Is an Equity Issue’ is the headline of my latest Education Week Teacher column. Four educators share ideas on how to leverage student background knowledge, including through using The Question Formulation Technique, word splashes, and sticky notes. Here are some excerpts:
It continues to be time for mid-year “Best” lists. The first was THE BEST WEB 2.0 APPLICATIONS FOR EDUCATION IN 2020 – PART ONE The second was The Best Online Learning Games – 2020 (Part One) The third was A LOOK BACK: 2020’S BEST POSTS FROM THIS BLOG – PART ONE Now it’s time for the Best Videos For Educators. You can see all my previous “Best” lists related to videos and movies (and there are a
dapple-designers / Pixabay Many of us now wear masks when we go to places where we will be in close contact with others, like stores. There’s now on-going discussion about if teachers should wear face shields instead of masks (for example, the State of California is providing a face shield to every teacher ). The idea is that it will help students hear what teachers are saying, and be particularl
Twice each year, I post my favorite posts that appeared in during the previous six months. This post is for my favorites from the first half of 2020. You can see my choices for each of the past twelve years here. And you can also see a list of my My All-Time Favorite Posts! Here are my choices: NON-“BEST” LISTS: IMPLICIT BIAS TRAINING DOESN’T SEEM TO WORK – SO WHAT SHOULD TEACHERS & OTHERS DO, IN
PhotoMIX-Company / Pixabay I used to post weekly collections of my best tweets, and used Storify to bring them together. Unfortunately, Storify went under. Fortunately, however, Wakelet was a new tool that was able to import all of a person’s Storifys. So you can see all those previous Twitter “Best” lists here . You might also be interested in MY MOST POPULAR TWEETS IN 2019 – PART TWO and NEW &
The Whys & Hows of Activating Students’ Background Knowledge is the headline of my latest Education Week Teacher. Seven educators explain the importance of tapping students’ background knowledge in order to learn new content, and they describe ways to do just that, including through the use of surveys and anticipation guides. Here are some excerpts: 24
These Kids Are Done Waiting for Change is a New York Times column that is likely to be read in many classrooms over the next several months and beyond. It’s about a group of Nashville teenagers who are fighting against racism by, among other things, having organized a 10,000 person march to protest George Floyd’s murder. I’m adding it to The Best Resources Sharing The History Of Teens Organizing
geralt / Pixabay “Citizen Science” typically is the term used to describe crowdsourced projects that citizens, including students, can help with and that contribute towards a common good. Having an “ authentic audience” – someone other than a teacher – can contribute to student engagement and intrinsic motivation. There are lots of these kinds of citizen science projects out there, and you can fi
Two years ago, the amazing ten-part series on a U.S. high school titled “America To Me” aired on the Starz. I shared clips and reviews about it at that time . In addition to continuing to be seen on the Starz service, it’s also now on Hulu . If you haven’t seen it already, I would strongly recommend you do so now….
In the wake of recent murders of Black citizens, like George Floyd, and subsequent protests, there has been a lot of attention being paid to the concept of implicit bias and how to combat it. There seem to be far fewer people questioning the existence of implicit bias than when Mike Pence was very confused about it at the Vice-Presidential debate. You can see tons of resources about how it affect
When teaching English Language Learners, many – if not most – of us have students repeat newly-learned words chorally. It encourages shy students to practice pronunciation and develop more self-confidence when speaking. And many of us – when teaching ELLs or English-proficient students – often have students pair-up and read text aloud to each other taking turns with each paragraph. It’s a very us
qimono / Pixabay The latest TED-Ed lesson and video is on “How fast can a vaccine be made?” I’m adding it to A BEGINNING LIST OF THE BEST RESOURCES FOR LEARNING ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS .
I’m making a change in the content of the regular feature. In addition to sharing the top five posts that have received the most “hits” in the preceding seven days (though they may have originally been published on an earlier date), I will also include the top five posts that have actually appeared in the past week. Often, these are different posts. You might also be interested in IT’S THE THIRTE
It continues to be time for mid-year “Best” lists. The first was THE BEST WEB 2.0 APPLICATIONS FOR EDUCATION IN 2020 – PART ONE You can see all my previous Online Learning Games “Best” lists (and there are a lot since I’ve doing this since 2007) here. Note that they’re also continually revised and updated. Here are my picks from the first part of 2020: Drawpoly is a neat Pictionary-like online ga
Alexas_Fotos / Pixabay Here are new additions to THE BEST POSTS PREDICTING WHAT SCHOOLS WILL LOOK LIKE IN THE FALL : Ed Week has published a very useful special project on the topic, including The Socially Distanced School Day and How Schools in Other Countries Have Reopened. When schools reopen, many children will be missing is from Al Jazeera, and gives a useful non-US perspective.
Make Learning Relevant by ‘Getting to Know Your Students’ is the headline of my latest Education Week Teacher column. Five educators discuss strategies for increasing the relevance of lessons, including by learning student interests and sharing the stories of scientists. Here are some excerpts: I’m adding this series to The Best Ideas For Helping Students Connect Lessons To Their Interests & The
Free-Photos / Pixabay Today is celebrated as Flag Day in the United States. To quote from Wikipedia : In the United States, Flag Day is celebrated on June 14. It commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States, which happened that day by resolution of the Second Continental Congress in 1777. You might be interested in: The Best Sites For Learning About Flag Day The Best Resources For T
As regular readers know, for the past thirteen years I’ve been publishing about twenty-five different bi-annual lists highlighting the best educational resources around (along with tons of other “Best” lists). You can see them all here. It takes a lot of time to compile those lists, so I now do them every six months. I’m starting off by focusing on Web 2.0 tools. It’s possible that a few of these
I’m adding this first Washington Post video to The Best Resources For Teaching About Confederate Monuments : I’m adding these next two to USEFUL RESOURCES FOR TEACHING & LEARNING WHAT “DEFUND THE POLICE” MEANS:
There have been several visual displays of the protests since George Floyd’s murder. These can be useful when teaching any class, and especially with English Language Learners. You might also be interested in: PART SIX: IMPORTANT TWEETS ABOUT THE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD USEFUL RESOURCES FOR TEACHING & LEARNING WHAT “DEFUND THE POLICE” MEANS TEACHING RESOURCES ABOUT IF POLICE SHOULD BE IN SCHOOLS H
The issue of if police officers should be stationed in schools is a big one these days, and one that will be considered in policy discussions – and in class discussions come the fall. You might also be interested in: USEFUL RESOURCES FOR TEACHING & LEARNING WHAT “DEFUND THE POLICE” MEANS The Most Useful Posts, Articles & Videos On South Carolina Officer’s Violent Arrest Of Student Here are recent
Clker-Free-Vector-Images / Pixabay I’m adding these resources to THE BEST IDEAS FOR ONLINE ACTIVITIES TO USE WHEN TEACHING ELLS REMOTELY – SHARE MORE! : 7 Strategies Designed to Increase Student Engagement in Synchronous Online Discussions Using Video Conferencing i