How to attract the best teachers into the profession.
June 27, 2012
The need to elevate the teaching profession is a fact. Recently I read a piece from the founder of The Harlem Village Academies, a charter network consisting of five schools, which bears noting. She spoke of the importance of having the conditions of accountability and freedom in a school environment. Teachers who have a good amount of autonomy feel empowered and therefore are more committed and creative in how they teach. Whether a school is public, private or charter doesn’t alter the conditions teachers deserve and need to be innovative, passionate and dedicated teachers. Good teachers make for good students. It is as simple as that.
Summer reading for kids: Keep literature and pleasure in the same arena.
June 25, 2012
Some Books Are More Equal Than Others http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/24/opinion/sunday/how-to-choose-summer-reading-for-students.html?_r=2 speaks to the question: How important are summer reading assignments and what should they look like? The article stated that for newly fluent readers, usually age 8 or 9, any reading is indeed good reading. But for students in middle school and high school, reading selection does […]
“There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them.” Ray Bradbury 1920-2012
June 14, 2012
Ray Bradbury, who never attended college, described himself as “completely library-educated.” That was one of his two preferred explanation for how he became a writer. “ I discovered me in the library. I went to find me in the library.” Ray Bradbury was best known as a sci-fi titan but in “my book” he is […]
The perfect summer activity
May 30, 2012
Research shows Mom, as always, was right.“Brief exposure to the outdoors make people more creative, happier and better able to focus.” Summer is fast approaching and to prevent the well-documented summer slide in academics, most notably in reading, why not build into your summer schedule weekly outings with a snack and book in a fun […]
Teach kids empathy before its too late.
May 25, 2012
“When is a Problem Child Truly Dangerous?”, a recent article in the NYT Magazine draws attention to the challenge to teach kids empathy before its too late.
