A couple of days ago I had conversation with three students that went something like this: Me: How do you like your new class? Student 1: I don’t think the teacher likes me. Student 2: Yeah, he’s figured out how to skip the teaching part. All he does is direct us to a website where we work individually until class… Read more →
Last week I heard yet another radio advertisement for a program that promised to help children combat “summer slide.” I switched off the radio. The term “summer slide” drives me crazy. Why? Because while a phenomenon known as “summer slide” is something researchers at Johns Hopkins and elsewhere have established has real consequence, the way I hear it used is… Read more →
I had a conversation the other day about family contributions–those fundraising donations usually requested each year by the PTA/PTO/PFA and/or raised by events hosted by those organizations. I’m genuinely perplexed by how my view of the situation is so off kilter with what I’ve read lately. There are many stories like this one about how wealthier suburban communities want to splinter… Read more →
I teach a journalism class at a small, private university near my home. Disappointing but true: teachers can’t speak of freedom of the press and the responsibilities of professional journalists without knowing that at least a few students – or maybe their parents, who pay the tuition– will be offended. Some instructors recommend staying silent. Not discussing dicey matters is… Read more →
My husband and I recently took our youngest son to check out his new kindergarten. This will be his second go. We pulled Gabe out of a different kindergarten in September after only a couple of weeks. When I tell some parents this, they gush, “Awww, you wanted to give him the gift of another year.” Other parents make an… Read more →
More than a million U.S. school children are now enrolled in districts that have rolled out or are in the process of rolling out Social Emotional Learning (also sometimes called “whole child” learning). Austin happens to be an early adopter of this kind of learning, and I had an incredible opportunity last week to visit a freshman seminar class at… Read more →
I’ve been procrastinating about writing this post. Why? Because while I believe all people should speak their truths, I’m cautious about doing so when it comes to school choice and my kids. Let me be frank: My truth is that of a white, passing-as-privileged suburban mom (my husband and I are self-employed – so we’re honestly not as privileged as… Read more →
“No! Not the Donald Trump show again!” That’s what my 5-year-old screeched when my husband clicked on the television recently. Political engagement become obsession in our house months ago. Our kid was clearly telling us so. Furthermore, it is no secret who mommy is voting for, since I’ve owned a framed poster of Hillary Clinton since well before the candidate… Read more →
My son and I recently attended a park play date for incoming kindergarteners. He didn’t want to be there. He wanted to stay at preschool summer camp, play forever and not waste time meeting the scary new teachers and new friends. Of course, our jobs as parents is to encourage and be positive, which I did. But over the course… Read more →
I recently wrote an article for TheAtlantic.com on why the metric system isn’t dead in the United States and, in fact, may become more important in education. Currently, metric – officially it’s called the International Units of Systems– is the assumed measurement in science. Under Common Core State Standards, kids are supposed to be taught both metric and U.S. customary… Read more →