Parents, take a breath.  Teachers, you too. Everyone just needs to take a breath. We are in uncharted waters right now and we need to pause for a moment.  Never, in my thirty years of teaching, did I ever envision having to switch to a completely online version of my daily routine at school; but here we are, and we need to keep it together.

Right now, there is a parent sitting in their kitchen…

I am not your child’s friend.  I do not care if they like me.  This is not a popularity contest for me,  it is your child’s education.

I am not going to pretend your child’s work is exemplary, when it is actually sub-standard.  I demand, and expect, nothing but the very best effort from your child.  Helping your child is not synonymous with giving them the answers, so please explain to them that…

Disruptions

Read full article here.

  I’ve been saying it for years, “It is a privilege to be in my classroom.…

The Dilemma of Standardized Testing

Read full article here.

As a teacher, I stress relentlessly about standardized testing.  Did I…

Close the Void

In an educational environment riddled with assessments and standards to be met, students are often…

Interest http://wp.me/s2qyRo-interest

New York City Schools and Plan B Birth Control

I know that teen pregnancy is still an issue in many school districts around the country, but I’m…

I read a post this morning about attitude.  In this post, the author made the point that anyone can have a positive attitude if they want.  I tend to agree with the author, and I suddenly realized that my attitude has kind of been sucking lately.

I’m all…

Lessons from the Private Sector

MANSEF Special Ed Students Outperform Public School Peers  (Read full article)

As a special…

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Back in the Saddle

I’m finally settling down and getting my head pointed in the right direction again.  I have been…

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New Year's Resolve

Diet. No red meat. Evening walks.  Organize my life.  Learn to play the piano.  Cook dinner more…

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Educational Options

Article: Julia Steiny: Vocational Ed Connects Kids to Real, Paying Futures

What do we do when the…

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Fingers Crossed

Printed. Packaged. Addressed. Mailed. Fingers crossed.

Well, it’s in the mail.  I sent out 11…

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Teachers Lead the Way

I love when teachers make something big happen.  We are often regulated and monitored and…

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Teacher Testing

With the number of low performing schools currently in the United States, administrators and state…

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Ready, or not?

When is it appropriate to  move a young student into the next grade level?  Do we let student…

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