In today’s Washington Post online, Jay Mathews runs a beautiful piece by my favorite education blogger, Susan Ohanian, where she describes how she engaged kids when she was a teacher. Susan is much too modest to call herself a great teacher, but she certainly deserves that title. Here’s how it starts: Eons ago, I persuadedContinue reading “What Makes a Great Teacher (cont’d)”
Author Archives: Sara Bennett
Remember to Say Thank You
I always encourage parents to write thank you notes when they appreciate something that a teacher or administrator has done. (There are a few examples in The Case Against Homework.) Shelli and Tom Milley, the couple from Calgary, Canada who recently negotiated an opt-out-of-homework contract with their children’s school, wrote a beautiful letter to theContinue reading “Remember to Say Thank You”
What Makes a Great Teacher (cont’d)
Last week, I posted a piece, What Makes A Great Teacher, and many of the commenters to yesterday’s post wrote about good teachers as well. In this week’s Teachers College Record, there’s also a very good piece, “What It Takes to Become a Great Teacher.” The author writes: If we really want good schools, weContinue reading “What Makes a Great Teacher (cont’d)”
Teachers Speak Out – An Open Letter to the Harvard Graduate School of Education
On blogs.edweek.org, I read a really moving letter by 3 teachers to the Harvard Graduate School of Education, asking when the institution will speak out on issues fundamental to the educational well-being of children and their schools. Here’s an excerpt from the letter: As veteran public school teachers, we are disappointed that the HGSE hasContinue reading “Teachers Speak Out – An Open Letter to the Harvard Graduate School of Education”
A Third Grade Teacher Speaks Out
I received an email from a third grade teacher in Mesa, Arizona. With her permission (I never post emails without explicit permission), I share it with you. As a Family, We Always Set Reasonable Limits for the Amount of Time We chose to Devote to School-related Activity by a Third Grade Teacher For the pastContinue reading “A Third Grade Teacher Speaks Out”
Putting a Halt on Homework – Barrie, Ontario, Canada
In an article in the December 2009 issue of the Ontario Principals’ Council Exemplary Leadership In Public Education, Jan Olson, the principal of the Barrie, Ontario, Canada school which eliminated homework last year, and some teachers from that school, write about their experiences with no homework and why adopting a no homework policy is soundContinue reading “Putting a Halt on Homework – Barrie, Ontario, Canada”
TED Lecture – Self-Discipline, Motivation, and Responsibility at Work
Last week, Jan Olson, the principal of the Barrie, Ontario, Canada elementary school that abolished homework, told me how much he liked this TED lecture by Sugata Mitra. Mitra, a professor of educational technology, conducted several “Hole in the Wall” experiments in India, where he left computers embedded in walls in areas where kids hadContinue reading “TED Lecture – Self-Discipline, Motivation, and Responsibility at Work”
What Makes a Great Teacher
Last month, my daughter’s tenth grade math teacher told me that when students fail his tests, it’s his fault, not theirs. He takes it as a sign that he needs to figure out a different way of teaching the material. You’d think that’s a no-brainer, but I think it’s the first time I’ve ever heardContinue reading “What Makes a Great Teacher”
Join Stop Homework on Facebook
I’ve finally created a Stop Homework facebook group. Please send the link to all your friends and post it on your own facebook.
A Parent Speaks Out – Arlington, Virginia
I received an email from a parent of two high schoolers in Arlington, Virginia, where she articulated the problem with schools that never seek feedback from either students or parents. She wrote: I recently read the book Cure Unknown on the Lyme epidemic and was struck by a quote from Jonas Salk. He talks aboutContinue reading “A Parent Speaks Out – Arlington, Virginia”
Stop Homework 