Most articles about education argue for this or that alleged cure-all: more money, greater parental involvement, longer hours, better instruction for teachers, clearer “standards,” universal pre-K, a community that really cares, etc., etc.

Some articles can go on for pages without mentioning the immediate things we should do if we want better schools ASAP.

(Suppose a…

Downsides of the “Tiger” Culture

In this thoughtful Chronicle of Higher Education article, Stephen Asma (Columbia College/Chicago) comments on The Triple Package: How Three Unlikely Traits Explain the Rise and Fall of Cultural Groups in America by Amy Chua and Jed Rubenfeld. “These days, only the simplest minds would argue that cultural superiority is…

The New York State Reading Association has announced the ballot for the 2014 Charlotte Award.  Students can vote for their favorite titles by reading the book(s) for their age division, or having the book(s) read to them, and then completing the ballot with the help of a teacher or librarian. 

The titles on the ballot are:

GRADES PRE K-2/PRIMARY

Around One Log: Chipmunks, Spiders & Creepy Insiders…

Why "Just Say No" Doesn't Work

Is Reading Popular Fiction Worthwhile?

In this article in Education Week, Jeffrey Wilhelm (Boise State University) and Michael Smith (Temple University) push back on the notion that students get much more from reading literary fiction than popular fiction – the idea that reading good literature is like cod liver oil (you may not like it, but it’s good for you), while popular fiction is worthless and even degrading. Wilhelm and Smith cite…

Making Science Tests Fun

In this charming article in Science Scope, former middle-school science teacher Fred Ende says that if students are uncomfortable and anxious when they take assessments, validity and reliability suffer, no matter how well-designed the assessment is. “[A]nxious students are often less able to concentrate (thus affecting validity) and regularly second-guess their thinking (likely having an impact on reliability),” says…

Plenty of people make a lot of noise about teacher salaries, but we never hear anything of what these teachers give.  The current issue of NEA Today lists these statistics on teacher spending:

99.5%    Percentage of teachers who reported buying essential classroom materials out of pocket

$945      Average amount of money teachers spent on out of pocket expenses…

Good Afternoon,

 

Please consider attending the LIASCD Spring Conference scheduled for Friday, April 4, 2014. This full-day workshop with Carol Ann Tomlinson will guide educators in understanding the principles and practices of differentiating content, process, and products while maintaining fidelity to content standards.

The informational flyer and registration information can be found at:

 …

Five Reasons Teacher Turnover Is on the Rise

Money and respect are only two things quality educators want more of.

Re-thinking Education: What Are We Teaching?