‘Uncategorized’ Posts

 

Smart Retired Principal Who Encourages Teacher Voice

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For an NCTE podcast, NLU Professor Harry Ross and I interviewed Joanne Trahanas, a smart retired principal who encourages teacher voice. Joanne’s words will help teachers understand that if they speak up thoughtfully, administrators will appreciate and support them, rather than come down on them. We know that teachers worry about this, so give a […]

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Smart Advice on How to Talk About Education

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The wider public, being less connected to schools than we teachers are, tends to have some limited concepts of our work and how to improve it. But in some fascinating and extremely helpful research the FrameWorks Institute provides smart advice on how to talk about education with the wider public. General attitudes about schools differ […]

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Hundreds of Ways to Make Education More Meaningful

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There are hundreds of ways to make education more meaningful that teachers and community members are pursuing– and the public needs to hear more about them. Here are two very different initiatives featured today at Education Week – Teacher. In Washington DC, the Young Playwright’s Theater Program partners with schools, enabling students to write and […]

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Uplifting TED Talk by 4th Grade Teacher John Hunter

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So today I browsed through a number of TED talks on education. Many start from the premise that “the system is broken.” But then I came upon the uplifting TED talk by 4th grade teacher John Hunter, on “Teaching with the World Peace Game.” Now he may seem like a superstar — which can mislead […]

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Whole School Districts Tell the World About Their Smart Work

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With spring vacations and Easter and Passover finished, we return to our effort to encourage educators to tell our stories to the public. Here are several examples of how whole school districts tell the world about their smart work. Read about Epping Elementary School, in New Hampshire having kids read non-fiction books of their own […]

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English Teacher Who Writes Frequent Columns on Education

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This is a sad and ugly day in Chicago as the announcement has come that 50 schools will close this summer, primarily in neighborhoods populated by low income African-American families. We mark this moment — as we continue to share the voices of good, skilled, caring teachers who continue to make a difference for kids […]

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Another Great Teacher Portrait in a Newspaper

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Once again our friend, Peter Smagorinsky, University of Georgia Professor of Education, has written another great teacher portrait in a newspaper, the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Education reporter Maureen Downey shepherds these pieces into the paper. This represents an excellent solution to the hesitancy of many teachers to write about their own wonderful classrooms. So fellow […]

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More Forums for Teachers and Parents Speaking Up

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I was half aware of this fresh focus for deeper public understanding of education but now here it is — the film, “Race to Nowhere,” the wide response to it, and the filmmakers’ invitation to hear teachers’ and parents’ stories (Thanks to my TSU partner, Marilyn Hollman, for calling this to my attention). So we’re […]

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Stories By Teachers Ready to Go Public

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Hooray! I now have two outstanding stories by teachers ready to go public, and I’m sending them off to a newspaper editor today. And a third is in the hopper, being written as we speak. I’ll report on our progress as we go. Wish us luck. Also a question: has anyone organized or attended a […]

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Ravitch Has Formed a New Education Advocacy Group

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Teachers, readers, visitors — Diane Ravitch has formed a new education advocacy group called the Network for Public Education. The group and its members will speak out for more thoughtful policies to improve schools, and against the increasing tide of narrow standardized testing, closing of schools, and the moving of funds away from public schools. […]

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