Monday, May 14, 2012

I think any teacher would love to teach a group like this kid

He has written for the column before, and is saying nothing that I haven't said repeatedly over the years, but especially this year. When I say it, kids roll their eyes and announce that I'm "retarded" or "lame". My favorite is "childish", spoken at high volume by a student stomping his/her feet while walking across the room.All expert opinions, I suppose? A close second is "that don't make no damn sense!"

If I could have had one class populated with kids like this one, there would have been something to look farward to..
http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2012/05/14/a-call-for-students-to-be-more-responsible-for-their-learning/?cxntfid=blogs_get_schooled_blog

STAR Testing: The Farce Begins Anew | Teach4Real

Abso-bloody-lutely!!!

STAR Testing: The Farce Begins Anew | Teach4Real

No Impossible Demand Left Behind

Replace Cuomo with Deal, Bloomberg with your favorite local (elected) official, and this works pretty much anywhere:

No Impossible Demand Left Behind

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Yong Zhao Interview: Will the Common Core Create World-Class Learners? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

Yong Zhao Interview: Will the Common Core Create World-Class Learners? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

Zhao hits it on the head, as usual. But is anyone listening?

It's not over

(written in late April)

Guess what?

School's not over.

I know we've finished our standardized testing, but school's not over.

We still have some work to do. School's not over.

There is still time to bring your average up, by doing all your work. School's not over.

We will not be watching movies for the next 3 weeks. School's not over.

You can't sit back and do nothing for the next 3 weeks. School's not over.

If you don't finish these assignments, you won't be happy with the final grade. School's not over.

Please don't insult my intelligence. I can read the calendar, and school's not over.

Spare us all the fairy tales about what some other teacher is doing for fun. School's not over.

I don't really care if you have early vacation plans. School's not over.

If all of this is a problem for you, please find some way to spend your time that doesn't involve yelling or swearing. School's not over, and that kind of behavior will get you into trouble.

Wasn't it Yogi Berra who said, “It ain't over till it's over”? Well, it ain't over. Yet.