Heather Wolpert-Gawron

Viewing: Educational Policy

Facebook Quizzes and Lesson Planning

Facebook Quizzes and Lesson Planning

By on July 12, 2009

It used to be 4 colors that defined the differences between personalities: gold, blue, green, and orange. Then it advanced to 8 slices of a pie used to categorize the different intelligences: linguistic, logical, naturalistic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, visual/spatial, kinesthetic, musical.  There are

Standards Conversation #1: Should Education Take a Tip from Starbucks?

Standards Conversation #1: Should Education Take a Tip from Starbucks?

By on July 5, 2009

Starbucks is the ultimate in differentiation.  In fact, it’s built an empire on providing individualized, one-on-one product to any member of its clientele, no questions asked.  Cute, young baristas (some with piercings, some without) hand out drinks with a smile,

Parent Support Suggestions

Parent Support Suggestions

By on July 4, 2009

Type your suggestions into the comment box below. Check back in for updates on my webinar series or subscribe to tweenteacher.com! Sincerely, Heather Wolpert-Gawron aka Tweenteacher

Teacher Support Suggestions

Teacher Support Suggestions

By on July 4, 2009

Type your suggestions into the comment box below. Check back in for updates on my webinar series or subscribe to tweenteacher.com! Sincerely, Heather Wolpert-Gawron aka Tweenteacher

Ask a Teacher

Ask a Teacher

By on July 4, 2009

Hey Parents, Guardians, and Students! Want me to address an issue about education and school life in my upcoming Webinar series?  Leave your comment below. I want to discuss what you find the most important…so no-holds-barred, and ask away!  

Student-Designed Schools

Student-Designed Schools

By on June 26, 2009

This year, my 8th graders all produced a multi-genre project during 4th Quarter that focused on possible careers of their choice. But I went a step further with my 8th grade Honors class. They not only had to research a

TeachersCount.org Second-Career Teaching

TeachersCount.org Second-Career Teaching

By on June 19, 2009

So I’ve been a little quiet as of late.  After all, it’s been the last two weeks of school and I’m in crunch time on some writing deadlines.  In addition, I’ve got to learn some new-fangled strategies using the Interactive

The New Definition of Veteran Teacher

The New Definition of Veteran Teacher

By on June 2, 2009

I have been teaching for 10 years.  I have mentored teachers, become Department Head, sat on committees, presented at conferences, and taught upwards of 2500 students ranging from 3rd grade to 12th grade. But all of that does not make

The Myth of Summers Off

The Myth of Summers Off

By on May 29, 2009

“So you’re a teacher, huh?” says the umpteenth Joe know-it-all.  I know the tone, and I know what’s coming.  “Must be nice having summer’s off,” he sneers. I don’t know what mythical job this guy thinks I have, but I

Carnival of Education is in town!

Carnival of Education is in town!

By on May 27, 2009

The latest Carnival of Education is in town.  I always check out Larry Ferlazzo’s posts for some curriculum innovation as well as Scott McLeod’s just for some new perspectives on ed leadership.  And, of course, tweenteacher’s in there as well.

TV Review: Glee (updated)

TV Review: Glee (updated)

By on May 20, 2009

OK, I admit it.  I watched Glee last night on Fox after American Idol just because Ryan Seacrest told me to. Stand aside Lean On Me, Teachers, Dangerous Minds, and Freedom Writers.  This new fall program, whose pilot aired last

Merit Pay Nickle-and-Diming

Merit Pay Nickle-and-Diming

By on May 20, 2009

Education Weekly is reporting that there can be negative consequences from some merit pay programs.  It cites evidence from the private sector, claiming that offerring extra compensation pay hasn’t worked in the past.  Yet ASCD Smartbrief is also reporting that “Obama

Teacher Evaluation meets Survivor

Teacher Evaluation meets Survivor

By on May 12, 2009

I’m not a big Survivor fan.  I mean, I really hate what the people become when pitted against each other.  So I don’t watch it…at least not on TV.  So when I read Scott McLeod’s post suggesting that school communities

How to Battle Epic Paragraphing

How to Battle Epic Paragraphing

By on May 12, 2009

Every year my nemesis rears its ugly head: the epic paragraph.  Epic paragraphs are those essays comprised entirely of one mega-paragraph with no indentations to indicate transition from thought thought. I bet you thought your kids were the only ones

San Gabriel Valley CUE Teacher of the Year!

San Gabriel Valley CUE Teacher of the Year!

By on May 5, 2009

I won the San Gabriel Valley CUE (Computer Using Educators) Outstanding Teacher Award. Hazzah! I’m not sure CUE realizes, however, that my enthusiasm for Ed Tech outweighs my knowledge.  My daily calls with questions to the computer teacher can attest

Swine Flu and Test Scores

Swine Flu and Test Scores

By on May 5, 2009

Here’s yet another reason why test scores can’t be the only way to gage teaching quality. A colleague of mine, a fifth grade teacher, at the UCI Writing Project got a call last night from her automated phone tree saying

5 Things Teachers can do to Improve Teaching

5 Things Teachers can do to Improve Teaching

By on April 21, 2009

We all know there are many problems in education and not one bullet to solve any one of them.  We as teachers can’t do a lot about many of the factors that have huge influence on student success: parental involvement,

Students, Sexting, and the threat to Ed Tech

Students, Sexting, and the threat to Ed Tech

By on April 19, 2009

Thanks to Scott McLeod for Twittering the following article from The Washington Post.  It describes a terrible ordeal that an administrator went through battling charges of “failure to report suspected child abuse” and potential child pornography after students were caught sexting on

Twitter as Think Aloud

Twitter as Think Aloud

By on April 13, 2009

I was reading through my Digg headlines this weekend, and I happened on this article of the top 10 most extraordinary Twitter updates.  I also did some digging (no pun intended) and found articles that range in claiming that there

Fictional Crushes

Fictional Crushes

By on April 11, 2009

OK, don’t tell my husband, but I have a fictional crush.  That is, I have a crush based on a fictitious character.  I think I’ve always had one, but the object of my literary love has always changed with my