Public education is the backbone of our nation. It is how we pass our culture and society to future generations. We cannot allow that passing to be distorted by political interests. Children need to be taught to think, not what to think. Continue reading
When the Edges Crumble, We All Fall Down
We Are Born To Hear; We Must Be Taught To Listen
The difference between hearing and listening is the difference between noise and a symphony. We hear the noise; we listen to what the music says to us. A major part of our work is teaching all children to listen. Continue reading
Righting the Second R
Writing is not scary because it tells others what you know. Not writing is scarier because it says you may not know anything. Write and express yourself! Continue reading
To Be Visible or Not to Be, That Is The Question
A student can skate through a school day and never be engaged in their instruction. It is a learned behavior we can change. Continue reading
Tighten The Lug Nuts of Learning
Children in school are not tourists on a year-long field trip seeing and learning what they can as time flies past. Successful learning is taking the steps and time needed to secure student learning of essential annual outcomes. Continue reading
Remembering Is Difficult; Forgetting Is Easy
When we know what is right, we should try to do it. This statement is easier to say than to practice. Harder yet is defending bad practice. We should make the best practices of teaching and learning our daily commitment to the children we teach. Continue reading
Snow Days of Yore No More
A snow-cancelled school day is a gift from the clouds. It is time to update our conceptions of how children treat a snow day. A contemporary understanding of snow days better informs how all adults make decisions about snow days. Continue reading
If We Want Students to Study, We Must Teach Them How
Students are not born knowing how to study, so we must teach them how just as we teach them to read. We need to teach, practice, assess, clarify, and reinforce study habits if we want students to learn to study. Continue reading
No Time For Dull Teaching Tools
The attention to given to critical examination of the effectiveness and efficiency of teaching tools and strategies is catastrophically small within a school calendar of business. Sharpen your tools or suffer dull results. Continue reading
Biliteracy Is An Achievable Advantage
With 400 languages spoken in the USA, being multilingual is a choice that provides advantages in a student’s future education and career. The first choice is for school leaders to provide opportunities for all children to learn second and third languages. Continue reading