When I first started teaching, the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) were just being rolled out to replace the New York State Standards. I wasn’t resistant to the shift in course content standards because teaching was still very new to me and my eagerness superseded any skepticism that I might have had. I noticed, however,… Continue reading New Education Standards? Oh Boy—Here We Go Again!
Once a week, I have a class period set aside during the school day to provide my students with extra help. I teach English Language Arts so you would think that students would come to me with questions about their homework assignment on GoogleClassroom or to review questions that they got wrong on a test… Continue reading Why do the “Bad Kids” Like Me?
Dear Matt Damon – You don’t know me, although we do have some mutual acquaintances. Those would be families whose children attend(ed) a New York City private school alongside your daughters. I, in fact, am the person who helped them with the application process for those schools. Because that’s what I do, Matt Damon. I… Continue reading An Open Letter To Matt Damon Who Only Wants School Choice For His Kids – Not Yours
This is a guest post by Lisa Petgrave-Nelson, a graduate of Adelphi University’s School of Social Work. She is a licensed master social worker and a certified health coach. Lisa enjoys spending time with her family, cooking and nature photography. I grew up in St. Albans, Queens and attended Andrew Jackson High School in the early… Continue reading Am I Making The Right Choice to Raise My Children in a Segregated School District?
Last Monday, September 11, 2017, New York State submitted its revised Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Plan to the federal government for approval. The document includes slight tweaks to the standards for Math and English and shorter tests, a change to the way teachers are assessed and certified, and more emphasis on “student growth.” It’s full… Continue reading New York State Has a New Education Plan: What Will It Mean For You and Your Kids?
I grew up on Long Island. My entire education from kindergarten through graduate school was facilitated in schools on Long Island. I live on Long Island still. It is fair to say that Long Island, with all of its pervasive racially, socially, and economic-segregated neighborhoods and schools, is not only a part of New York… Continue reading More Police Presence In Our Schools Is NOT The Answer!
Students with special needs are among some of the most vulnerable in our school communities. Providing them with instruction that fails to prepare them for the real world that they are about to enter is despicable. If you are a special education teacher or a general education teacher, it is imperative that you hold yourself… Continue reading Accommodate Work for Special Ed Students — Don’t Dumb It Down!
A lifter is one who elevates circumstances. A floater is one who easily navigates circumstances. You must decide to be a lifter or floater in education. One should not step into the “ring” of education, especially the New York City public school district as it is the largest in the nation, and not know your… Continue reading Six Lessons for Educators From the Mayweather vs. McGregor Fight
(This is a guest post by Peter Cunningham, the executive director of Education Post. He recently served as assistant secretary for communications and outreach in the U.S. Department of Education during the Obama Administration’s first term. Prior to that he worked with Arne Duncan when he was CEO of the Chicago Public Schools.) Somehow, while managing… Continue reading Don’t Get Angry, Get Eva
New York State released their 2017 standardized public school test scores in August, and New York City led the pack. We take a look at the top ten achievers, and explore whether we can find an instructional magic bullet among them: Rank: 1 School Name: Special Music School Average Standard Score: 99.7 % of Students… Continue reading NYC’s Top 10 Elementary Schools By Test Scores: What Makes Them Special – And How You Can Get In
