Now that the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) has been signed into law, we’re keeping close tabs on national ESSA news as well as ESSA news from the eight most populous states in the union: CA, TX, FL, NY, IL, PA, OH, and GA. Our
It is both humbling and disconcerting to realize that no matter how many years we teach, there is still so much more for us to learn. Just when we think we’ve got things under control, we face new challenges we’ve never imagined. And that’s one
This post was originally published on Tonya's blog. Mention peer observation inquiry (OI) in education circles, and one of the first questions is always, “How do you build teacher buy-in?” It’s a critical question, and one I’ve addressed in previous blogs, and in-depth in my book,
We are true to our creed when a little girl born into the bleakest poverty knows that she has the same chance to succeed as anybody else. - President Obama, 2nd inaugural address Ensuring educational equity is imperative; some would say it is even a moral obligation. Whether minority
Classrooms in the United States are becoming more and more diverse. Educators are always seeking strategies to work effectively with diverse students and their families. However, just developing knowledge about students and their backgrounds is not enough. Having worked with many beginning and experienced teachers
While many people reflect on their school experiences from childhood, they remember the principal as one who struck fear in the hearts of misbehaving students. Today’s administrator must have an upbeat, welcoming, no-blame, solutions-oriented, professional demeanor; model respect for all members of the school community;
This post was originally published on Cooper on Curriculum. Running any form of professional development can be a daunting task, whether it is at the district level, at a conference, etc. At the beginning of the planning process, facilitators often don’t have much more than a
As mentors, we work hard at building relationships through the development of trust and respect with the new teachers with whom we work. These relationships are supportive and collaborative in nature and have an influential impact on the beginning teachers and their professional development. Throughout our interactions
Is your professional learning close to practice? Schools and districts would do well to consider this question for each investment they make in professional development activities for both teachers and administrators. Consider the following continuum of professional learning activities: Activity that is “far from practice” seldom penetrates
This post was originally published on TonyaSinger.com. At George I. Sanchez Community School, a Title I school in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Title I Kindergarten students are actively using technology to collaborate, create, and communicate in ways that deepen content learning. In Andrea Quintana’s classroom, Kindergarten students are