Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Renewal School Program is about to hit its three year anniversary. In a speech in November 2014 he vowed to “demand fast and intense improvement” for the 78 schools in the program, just as earlier that year in Riverside Church he made a commitment to “shake the foundations” of the school… Continue reading Renewal Schools? Not a Whole Lot of Shakin’ Going On
Contrary to the complaints of a few who will never be satisfied, New York’s education standards are truly doing right by students. Following an exhaustive effort by educators and families alike, we now have exemplary statewide standards that help ensure equal education for all our students and have set us on a path to future… Continue reading A New York Teacher Judges New York’s New Education Standards
This is a guest post by Fredrick Scott Salyers, an educator, writer, and photographer based in Brooklyn, New York. Salyers has spent his career dedicated to the academic, personal, and social development of young black men. His educational career spans various fields, including k-12 and higher education. There’s always a sharp change around August, and… Continue reading I’ve Got 10 Tips for the Teachers Yearning to Avoid Burnout
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I wasn’t resistant to the shift in course content standards because teaching was still very new to me and my eagerness superseded any skepticism that I might have had.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!
