Outrage at the Los Angeles Unified School District case comes from the incredible possibility that school officials knew there was a serious problem and no action with consequence was taken. It comes from the fact that there are over 80 known victims and likely dozens of others. It comes from a school attorney who acknowledges that if the allegations had arisen now they would be taken more seriously. This is progress that we struggle to be proud of. Weren't there child abuse laws back…

If we look at the present, we see the federal government has attempted to not leave any child behind and then asked us to race to the top, with little notable result. Now, the support for P-TECH and other STEM initiatives hold promise. We need to step up and meet these system changes with the engagement necessary to make a positive difference. Otherwise, the wheel will turn, energy will be spent, and little will change. The question remains how to step up and meet these system…

The role of public education is to educate ALL children and to prepare them all for their lives as adults who are informed and productive citizens in our democratic society. In the age of dreams and start-ups, college may not be the only path but it is likely only a few who will become hugely successful without it.  Read more...

With the acceleration of every kind of communication and information, technological developments from 3D printing to cars that drive themselves, a national fixation with the quality of schools is inevitable. But still, the voices heard remain those from outside of schools. Corporate magnates and politicians are forcing school change, albeit with little understanding of the school- community complexity.     …

What may be holding back one teacher may not be holding back another. What may seem overwhelming to one may not be to another.  What may be encouraging to one teacher may not be to another.  How to find the answers and move everyone forward?  Leaders need to be able to ask the right questions for each person. Read more...

 People say things and do things that offend.  It is human nature.  But for those in public service, and those who work in service of children, teaching and leading, learning how not to say or do things that offend is essential. There are opportunities for learning how to communicate, how to institute new programs or follow new mandates. Professional development about the use of social media, training from developers of newly adopted programs, and information from…

The quality of the education students receive in a school rests largely on the teachers in it. The achievement of the students in schools, however, depends on a vast array of factors that all in education know and can easily list.  Poverty, disability, language, health, mental health, life situation, parents, the leaders, all play a role in how far teachers can bring their students forward. So to look at one factor is both misleading and most importantly, potentially destructive, even…

In education we often talk about the importance of fostering creativity and problem solving, but creativity doesn't exist in a vacuum.  It requires recognizing, nurturing, and promoting certain elements of personality that are free, experimental, experiential, and questioning.  It also requires an environment that accepts and encourages differences in people, perspectives, attitudes, and ideas     …