
Competing needs
Author’s note: I’m sorry this got posted in an unfinished version. I swear I’d finished it, but somehow my last additions got lost and an unfinished but saved version got posted. I’m a big fan of inclusion as a principle in school. If you’re not familiar with the concepts, …

The Great Didactic: Who’s Fault is it? Teachers Fault (kind of)
Chapter 5: The seeds of these three (learning, virtue, and piety) are naturally implanted in us. Recently I was thinking about the foundation of our education system and its philosophical underpinnings. As I was doing this it dawned on me that I have only ever really read about this philosophy …

Pop Quiz: Books on Tape = Cheating?
Recently I was sitting in a meeting about a student, who we’ll call Kevin. In this meeting were Kevin’s parents, the guidance counselor, his case manager, myself and the other teachers who teach him. Kevin is undergoing a period of work avoidance, which is a relatively common problem. As we …

Special Ed Defense, Teach for America, Khan Academy, and more math, earlier- Required Readings 3/9/2014
Everybody’s growing up or out!!! The struggle continues: a mom explains why her child deserves a education., even though he’s disabled. Why is this even a question? Some interesting developments over at Teach for America– someone over there is finally listening to the critics or maybe they think it’s a …

School shootings, standardized tests, library of congress for teachers, art for students with autism and cuddly literacy- Required Reading 2/13/2014
Maybe it’s just because I have the flu and am feeling very dark , but I’ve somehow collected some really depressing links. I’ve discarded some of them but I have to put something in this column. I’ll wrap it up with a little cheer. First the yucky: Via the Answer …