Best Presidents?

Source: Best Presidents?

A Failing Public Education

Source: A Failing Public Education

Politics and Mental Health

“A lot of people seem to be questioning President Trump’s mental health. This month, Representative Ted Lieu, a California Democrat, went so far as to say he was considering proposing legisla…

Source: Politics and Mental Health

Politics and Mental Health

“A lot of people seem to be questioning President Trump’s mental health. This month, Representative Ted Lieu, a California Democrat, went so far as to say he was considering proposing legisla…

Source: Politics and Mental Health

A New Tsar

“Dimanche après-midi, le verdict était clair : un mois après l’entrée de M. Trump à la Maison Blanche, la crise de confiance entre l’Europe et les Etats-Unis est évidente et grave, et rien ne…

Source: A New Tsar

A Different US (And World)

The advent of Donald Trump marks the first time a Non-Politician (NP) wins the job after so many seasoned insiders; yes, Reagan was an actor, but he was also Governor of California before taking th…

Source: A Different US (And World)

The Joy Of Teaching

Badly does an enemy treat his enemy, a foeman his foe: worse is the havoc wrought by a misdirected mind (Buddha)

It was a revelation. As I received my first period as a substitute, I recognized a few of the sophomores I had worked with a year ago. They had an interesting assignment left by their regular teacher in English II, the analysis of a poem written by a concentration camp survivor.

Effective Partnerships

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUCrYyzbjxg

STEM, a common acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, is all the rage these days in public schools, as is the tendency to convert high schools into Early College, where students can earn an associate degree when they graduate. In Chicago, on the other hand, an experiment is underway with a six-year high school at Sarah E. Goode STEM Academy, a joint project between the city and IBM, the school’s sponsor.

Political Football

This Common Core math worksheet offers a glimpse into Kafkaesque third-grade hell
(Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2014/01/28/this-common-core-math-worksheet-offers-a-glimpse-into-kafkaesque-third-grade-hell/#ixzz2wK6yanIk)

Obama math: under new Common Core, 3 x 4 = 11 [VIDEO]) (idem)

First of all, the Common Core curriculum sweeping the nation is not a product of the Obama administration:

While the Common Core has been voluntarily adopted by 45 states and the District of Columbia, it has stirred controversy (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-16/bill-gates-says-common-core-standards-helpful-to-u-s-schools.html)

Adopted by 45 states out of 50; is this fact proof that the common core is an imposition by Washington as some extreme right wingers affirm?

Creating A Good Future

 

A great man talks to all as equals; a vain man considers himself as superior; a wise man will let the fool speak without passing judgment.

It’s the middle of spring break and the weather is not cooperating; of course, as a recently retired teacher, this week feels the same as every other one, except for much less traffic in town. Still, a part of me misses the relationship with students and staff. I keep wondering whether the special needs teens who were assigned to me are doing well. My natural vanity believed nobody else could make a difference for them. Nonsense of course, but I know some teachers lack the vocational fire needed to do the job.