Category Archives: Teachers Speak Out

Nearly Half of England’s Schools Boycott National Standardized Tests

In England last week, nearly half of its schools refused to administer the national standardized tests. The National Union of Teachers, as well as the National Association of Head Teachers, voted in favor of a boycott. The reason: the importance placed on the tests is forcing teachers to teach to them instead of focussing onContinue reading “Nearly Half of England’s Schools Boycott National Standardized Tests”

Epitaph for a Young Teacher

I read this piece, Epitaph for a Young Teacher, in Teacher Magazine. Epitaph for a Young Teacher by Anthony Mullen Virginia Monticello Grounds Hamlet teaches much. The play taught me that the dead depend upon the living to tell their story. The dead, after all, first linger in our thoughts and prayers and then disappearContinue reading “Epitaph for a Young Teacher”

How to Engage Students in School

I recently read about the Sequoyah Shool in Pasadena, California, where engaging students is the school’s primary concern. Engaging students through curiosity By Josh Brody director, Sequoyah School, Pasadena, CA from Pasadena Star News I recently sat in on a parent-teacher conference led by a 6-year-old student. She was presenting her tree notebook. She eagerlyContinue reading “How to Engage Students in School”

Teacher: Thanks for the Test Scores!

I stumbled across Accomplished California Teachers, a new teacher leadership network for the state of California, which is housed under the umbrella of the School of Education at Stanford University. Every time I read something by a disgruntled teacher (or parent), I wonder why it’s so hard to get education on the right track. DearContinue reading “Teacher: Thanks for the Test Scores!”

Letter to the Editor from a Piano Teacher

As Quebec debates a new report recommending eliminating elementary school homework, a piano teacher wrote the following letter to the editor of the Ottawa Citizen. To the Editor From a piano teacher So here we are again, discussing the same issue that has been brought up countless times. A few years ago, I wrote aContinue reading “Letter to the Editor from a Piano Teacher”

A Teacher Speaks Out – Testing

I saw this post on Teachers Net: You know that you have trained your class to ignore distractions well when someone throws up DURING state testing and no one even flinches and continues with their testing! No lie! My classroom! Today! Luckily he missed the book by an inch and hit the trashcan which IContinue reading “A Teacher Speaks Out – Testing”

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”