May
20
2009
20
2009
Merit Pay Nickle-and-Diming
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 ...
Apr
21
2009
21
2009
5 Things Teachers can do to Improve Teaching
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, ...
Apr
10
2009
10
2009
The mythical superhuman teacher
Yes, there are many problems in education. But many of them boil down to the fact that we are a cadre of professionals who are taken advantage of as part of the job requirement.
Mar
25
2009
25
2009
Teaching Secrets: Finding a Job That You Love
Know a teacher who got a pink slip? Maybe my newest post at Teacher Magazine can help. Click here for the article.
It's Step 1 of my Top Secret New Teacher Handbook. Hope it creates some shortcuts, a machete even, through ...
Feb
25
2009
25
2009
Top 10: How to Take Control of Your Teaching
Occasionally, I repost this article so that new readers can find it more easily. Based on some very enthusiastic feedback, it has since morphed into a book proposal called The Top Secret New Teachers Handbook. I'll share more as it ...
Feb
21
2009
21
2009
Am I So Past My Prime?
Somehow, and maybe I'm reading into it here, I feel a little written off already. Education Week is reporting that some districts are pondering the possibility of "front-loading" new teacher salaries, increasing their compensation earlier in their career to aid ...
Feb
18
2009
18
2009
Here’s why test scores shouldn’t be the only criteria…
OK, so my first period's "Advanced" group went up 40% between their 1st district assessment and their 2nd. Another period went up 37%. Even my Honors class went from 81% Advanced to 97% Advanced, with only 1 student found in ...
Sep
06
2008
06
2008
Should a free education be unconditional?
So you know when you get your group of kids on the first day, there are those who immediately set off your alarms? Well, that definitely happened to me on my first day.
I have a student who clearly needs help. ...
Jul
06
2008
06
2008
Joanne Jacobs comment:”Stop facilitating and start teaching”
I commented on Joanne Jacobs article, "Stop Facilitating and Start Teaching," based on Fred Strine's article in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Strine indicates that more student-centered teaching is somehow less taught and, consequently, less learned. Jacobs paraphrases that the "'sage on the ...
Jul
02
2008
02
2008
The Carnival #178 is in town!
An (aspiring) Educator is hosting this week's Carnival of Education #178. I've tweaked my How to Take Control of Your Teaching list and although it's still in an evolving state, you can read it here. Enjoy the Carnival and the ...



