An archived stack of papers: 'education'
There Were No Good Ol’ Days
In a stack of papers called Instruction.
- Mar
- 28
- 2006
I’m starting to think that the most difficult, but most pleasing, part of a teacher’s job falls under the category of building connections. Course content and life after school need relation and students need to see that relation. While the links may be weak at times, those connections should be the only reason we teach what we teach. The necessity of pandering to state content standards and... read more
Wanted: Music Credential
In a stack of papers called Legislation.
- Mar
- 17
- 2006
This is my second year teaching a section of guitar class. The first time I taught the course was in the 2002-2003 school year. Back then, I had to fill out some paperwork to justify my position as a teacher of a course for which I have no credential or coursework. A few years of performing in various capacities and a few recordings seemed to do the trick. The work I’ve done with music is nothing... read more
We Have The Numbers (And We’re Voting Yes)
In a stack of papers called Reform, Unorganized.
- Feb
- 09
- 2006
Stumbling onto a news report of an education poll, the glaring problem of differing expectations in schools across the nation (world?) stands almost untouched. I’ll just say at the outset that I’m not sure I feel too confident in anything with AOL’s initials attached to it,... read more
The Ideal School Web Site
In a stack of papers called Technology.
- Feb
- 08
- 2006
What’s the function of a school Web site? Should it be a spot to brag about school achievements, perhaps even taking the form of a bulletin board? Should it be a place for the community to respond to topics of interest and even interact with school staff through online conversations like blogs? Should it be simply about information, a one-way street of sorts since schools have so much going on at... read more
Teacher Pay
In a stack of papers called Instruction.
- Feb
- 04
- 2006
An interview with Eric Hanushek about the public education system in California piqued my interest while channel surfing this afternoon. The idea of paying teachers by measure of salaries of the other jobs being passed up listed among his many suggestions.
That sounds completely absurd to me; that kind of supposition should never... read more
WASC And Professional Development
In a stack of papers called Reform.
- Feb
- 01
- 2006
I’m off to a staff development meeting where we will be discussing our Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) visit.
If any of you have gone through the WASC process, you know that it’s really no fun. If you haven’t gone through it, realize that you actually have whenever you had to put together a project for school: a big assignment with lots of little due dates and... read more
I’m Sick
In a stack of papers called Personal.
- Jan
- 15
- 2006
…and I know that if today was a school day, I would have had to call in to the substitute service before 6:00 or the call would go out to all available substitutes (it’s an automated phone system that dials the numbers in the substitute database until someone accepts the job). The worst part of calling in for a substitute teacher isn’t the phone call, though it’s a pain to have... read more
Who Knows The Job Best?
In a stack of papers called Instruction.
- Jan
- 13
- 2006
If a school is in a farming community and those in the community see farming as a terribly important subject, should that school’s focus be on farming as a response to the community’s values? Or should those that have studied education and learned the ins and outs of how education systems work be entrusted with creating a focus for such a school?
In a sort of response to a blog entry... read more