Just about any occurrence in society has the potential of ending up as raw video on social media these days. One of the lasted classroom witness videos that went viral is one depicting an officer forcibly removing a defiant child from a classroom. This sparked much discussion about the appropriateness of using such physical force on children.
The tide of Common Core criticism is growing – some of it deserved, but much of it not. I have noticed a rash of attacks lately that really have nothing at all do with the Common Core standards. Some of those attacks involve beloved math strategies that I have taught and used with students for over three decades. How they can be maligned is one thing, but then to attribute them to the “failed” Common Core goes over the top. In this article I will describe three math techniques that are currently under attack.
As soon as I started a new school year, I was inevitably hit with the dreaded hoarse and strained voice. There were just so many procedural discussions and student and parent meetings at the beginning of the year that my voice just couldn’t take it – especially after being accustomed to a long and restful summer break.
My favorite time of the school year is when those kids first walk through the classroom door. To see those eager faces as they walk into the room and nervously look around is priceless. And it’s not just the students who are eager to begin, so am I, the teacher.
Students are being over-tested these days and the backlash against testing is growing. However, whether or not over-testing is reined in or not, testing in some form will be part of most schooling situations for the foreseeable future. Preparing students for taking tests. . .
