In my previous posts, I’ve discussed how teachers are backed against the wall in the reform argument, and this makes our own efforts at self-improvement harder to start. Here’s another bad place we find ourselves at in this debate. The argument usually goes like this: Reform-y type: All kids can learn, not all teachers can [...]
In my prior post (The “Green Line”) I discussed the entrenched position of a lot of the arguments about education and education reform these days. Here is one of my favorite arguments: Teacher: Your ideas have no basis in research, or the reality where I teach; Reform-y Type: You’re just for the status quo! Really, [...]
The arguments in education reform (and what I call “reforminess”) are now so entrenched, I feel like I’m at the point of abandoning responding in complete sentences and could just use a number to refer to a “set” list of rejoinders. Check out this exchange between The Frustrated Teacher, and Mimi Carter on Huffington Post. [...]
Howdy! I teach sixth grade at an elementary school in Sacramento, CA. I started my career in Oakland, Ca, and moved here to Sacramento in 2001.
My goals are:
To help me reach my goals, I use this blog as a place for me to reflect on best practices, and the practices I’m (trying to) putting in place in my classroom.
My philosophy of teaching is pragmatic (I’ll use what works, and I’m not particularly wed to one theory or another). I want students thinking critically, and engaged in what they are learning (Constructivism), but I know that many of my students (language learners and others) need schema, scaffolding, and explicit modeling, so I’m not afraid to use those as well.
My philosophy of technology education is that teaching comes first, but technology is an awesome tool to use to engage students, and help them create stuff. I prefer that the learning goal guide the use of technology, and not the other way around.
That’s the big picture. Other salient details are that I can be sharp, but I prefer to see the positive and connect with others rather than fighting and argufying. I can be hard on others (having high expectations), but no harder than I am on myself.
I can be contacted here.
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