Here on the East Coast, we just had three back-to-back school cancellations because of snow. “Oh, happy day!” said no superintendent, ever. Grief has five emotional stages, but parents during snowstorms shuffle through countless stages. The drama that ensues waiting for the answer to “will they or won’t they cancel school?” is something to behold. And no matter what decision… Read more →
Career and technical education (CTE) is undergoing a change across American schools. No longer does it resemble the vocational training programs of 10 or 15 years ago that, oftentimes, wordlessly tracked students viewed as low academic performers into meager-paying jobs. This change is important for a number of reasons, but perhaps none as essential as delivering on education’s promise to… Read more →
Listening to the hearing for Betsy DeVos, Donald Trump’s choice for Education Secretary, I thought of the 50 million preK-12 children she will affect in her role, as well as the millions of college students . Then, as we so often do as human beings, I went from the macro to the micro. I thought of loved ones and friends… Read more →
Homework is a topic that elicits emotional responses from parents and students of every background. Rarely do children and families approach homework with unbridled joy and enthusiasm, and at times, it can cause significant stress. There are only so many hours in the day and our students seem to be increasingly overscheduled and under-rested. Most children spend at least 6.5… Read more →
My family and I know an adorable toddler who loves to chase other children and kiss them. My soon-to-be 5-year-old daughter is mortified by him. When he comes to lay one on her, she screams “No!” Other adults watching have responded with approximations of, “Aw, come on. He just wants to give you a kiss. He loves you. Let him… Read more →
When Hillary Clinton became the first female nominee for President of the United States, I’ll admit I cried. I looked at my daughter and my tears came. Nothing in my childhood prepared me for that moment. While witnessing a historic triumph for women, I thought about all the instances of sexism I endured throughout my life, dating from when… Read more →