Common Core State Standards

What Would Pres. Obama Do About NYC’s SHSAT Schools, College Readiness, and Teacher Quality? Hear From His Secretary of Education!
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What Would Pres. Obama Do About NYC’s SHSAT Schools, College Readiness, and Teacher Quality? Hear From His Secretary of Education!

Alina AdamsLeave a comment

Arne Duncan served as President Barack Obama’s Secretary of Education from 2009 to 2015. This August, he released a book, How Schools Work: An Inside Account of Failure and Success From One of the Nation’s Longest-Serving Secretaries of Education. Many of Duncan’s lessons are applicable to New York City. Here, we break down three of… Continue reading What Would Pres. Obama Do About NYC’s SHSAT Schools, College Readiness, and Teacher Quality? Hear From His Secretary of Education!

The NYS ELA Exam: What’s Working? What’s Not?
Accountability

The NYS ELA Exam: What’s Working? What’s Not?

Vivett Dukes2 Comments

It’s been a week since New York State students in grades three through eight took their English Language Arts exams. As the dust settles and the tests get scored, it becomes more and more evident to me — and I venture to safely say for many other educators — that this standardized test has become… Continue reading The NYS ELA Exam: What’s Working? What’s Not?

A New York Teacher Judges New York’s New Education Standards
Accountability

A New York Teacher Judges New York’s New Education Standards

Ann Rose SantoroLeave a comment

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

New Education Standards? Oh Boy—Here We Go Again!
Accountability

New Education Standards? Oh Boy—Here We Go Again!

Vivett DukesLeave a comment

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I wasn’t resistant to the shift in course content standards because teaching was still very  new to me and my eagerness superseded any skepticism that I might have had.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!

New York State Has a New Education Plan: What Will It Mean For You and Your Kids?
Accountability

New York State Has a New Education Plan: What Will It Mean For You and Your Kids?

Alina AdamsLeave a comment

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?

Accommodate Work for Special Ed Students — Don’t Dumb It Down!
Accountability

Accommodate Work for Special Ed Students — Don’t Dumb It Down!

Vivett DukesLeave a comment

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!

How Honest Is New York State’s Public Education Plan?
Accountability

How Honest Is New York State’s Public Education Plan?

Laura WatersLeave a comment

The New York State Department of Education is in the final throes of tweaking its plan for complying with America’s new school education law called the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). In this brave new world of bloated state control and anorexic federal oversight, parents are increasingly dependent on their state’s commitment to honest and… Continue reading How Honest Is New York State’s Public Education Plan?

Shout Out to Pedagogical Powerhouse Lakisha Odlum!
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Shout Out to Pedagogical Powerhouse Lakisha Odlum!

Vivett DukesLeave a comment

How do I begin my quest to express just how amazing Lakisha Odlum truly is? Without a doubt, she is the most dedicated, knowledgeable, highly motivated and highly effective English teacher I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. For four consecutive  years I had the privilege of working alongside Lakisha Odlum as a member… Continue reading Shout Out to Pedagogical Powerhouse Lakisha Odlum!

What Does an “A” Mean? A NYC Teacher Tackles Accountability
Accountability

What Does an “A” Mean? A NYC Teacher Tackles Accountability

Marianthy KarantzesLeave a comment

I recently read an article by a young woman currently enrolled in The Beacon School, an elite public high school in New York City. This young woman, part of a coalition of teenagers and adults under the hashtag #teenstakecharge, is using her voice to demand a more equitable school experience in an otherwise highly-segregated public… Continue reading What Does an “A” Mean? A NYC Teacher Tackles Accountability