At a NSTWP Professional Development Advanced Institute I was co-facilitating, there was much discussion on student culture and identity and using an asset model to best serve our students. My thoughts are this. If each individual being a part of a…
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From Trees to Webs: Transformation is About Changing How We think
I have been sitting in front of the computer for weeks and weeks now trying to get my thoughts down. How do I introduce my work on transformation? How do I communicate my motivation to change education for the better… to a more equitable system …
More than a Number: Barry Lane’s Musical Response to Students and High Stakes Testing
Wow! I have been doing so much thinking about the effects of too much emphasis on testing on students. I know. So many people have discussed it. So many more people will discuss it. But, it doesn’t hurt to continue this important discourse. These …
What Happens when Making and Gaming Intersect? Cain’s Arcade.
I know. I know. I’m late, but I just got around to watching the video, and yes, I am very impressed with Cain. What creativity! What entrepeneurship! Caine’s Arcade from Nirvan Mullick on Vimeo. It surprises me that Cain’s Arcade was once a joke i…
Financial “Aid”: Response to Carvens Lissaint’s TED Talk
This morning in CILT, I was asked to deliver a proposal to host a financial aid workshop for our students on behalf of our lead counselor. My urban high school has been very fortunate to have counselors as well as other partners like Education is …
Deprogramming: How can I encourage change and reflection on gender issues in my classroom?
(Response to Romance in the Classroom: Inviting Discourse on Gender and Power by Diane Waff) I could not agree more with the need for discussing and responding to gender dynamics in the classroom. I’ve known for a long time about the disproportion…
Poised for Much Needed Transformation:A Response to Saving Black and Latino Boys by Pedro Noguera | NWP Connect
This article teaches us that there is no magic formula to successfully serving our Black and Latino male students. In some cases, separating by ethnicity and gender worked. In some cases, it did not. There are arguments for and against any type of…
“Have I done enough?” Questions from a Well-Intentioned Educator
I am a teacher. I am passionate about what I do. I want to be able to empower my students to believe in themselves, believe in their education, believe they can achieve their goals. I try my best to do the right thing. I seek out professional deve…
Digital Learning Day: A Call to Action
Sitting at a district meeting yesterday, I heard more of an all too widespread and alarming discussion. “Our students aren’t interested in learning like we were.” “The kids today are distracted by gadgets. They would rather text than talk.” “Our k…
From Engagement to Equity: Bridging the Digital Divide
For many students, school is the only place where they can be on even ground with the rest of their peers. When implementing digital tools to learn, it becomes more than just a question of engagement and participation. How is digital learning an e…
Persistent Pondering 