Tag Archives: Excellence
Public Schools Should Go Away
“Public schools should go away.” I’ve always thought that such charges were just rhetorical, part of the rant in debate. But no, Monday’s Star Ledger features a Bob Braun column that turns my blood cold. “Public schools should go away,” … Continue reading
You are not alone if you organize
I’ll tell you a secret. At some point, every parent feels like they are the only one with the problem. You are angry, maybe embarassed. You don’t know what to do. It feels too big to tackle. You get angry … Continue reading
Imagine if we graduated 90% of Paterson kids!
Imagine if we graduated 90% of Paterson kids! I had the distinct privilege of participating in the First Annual America’s Promise GradNation Summit in Washington DC last week. It was so exciting to see so many people hyped about getting … Continue reading
Late to the party: beyond outrage
“Why aren’t you outraged? You should be outraged!”say our newest education reformers. Where have they been? Not paying attention, I guess. I’ve had plenty of outrage at the terrible things done to our kids. I’ve spent countless hours talking to bureaucrats … Continue reading
Hands on! Motivating younger learners with young learners
I participated in professional development at two national conferences last week, hence no blogs. My brain gets too full! I find I’m not only taking in the content of the meetings, but dreaming about how to use the knowledge to … Continue reading
Will more charters help Paterson?
As I get ready for Dr. Evan’s forum at Rosa Parks tonight at 5 pm, I’m thinking about charter schools as a reform strategy. As Dr. Evans explained last week, Paterson does not have the authority to give any group … Continue reading
Are we ready for change? Dr. Evans forum raises rigor & questions
More choice. Academic rigor. New school configurations. School/teacher reward plans. I listened to Dr. Evans at Thursday night’ forum with hope and dread. Hope: Because the strategic plan and this year’s targets are bold and doable. Dread: Because the foes … Continue reading
All alone, waiting for Superman
Yesterday, I went to see “Waiting for Superman, with four colleagues. Going with my trusted colleagues is very important to this story, because I didn’t go alone. As I think back upon the film, I’m stuck by the isolation of … Continue reading
How Fair is “Fair”? School funding, donations and the Cheshire Cat
You decide: You say that you want everyone to take the bus to the game. The bus costs $3.00. Jerry has three dollars, Stacey has $2.50 and Eddie has $2.00. Ok , you say, I’ll give everyone $.50 so they can … Continue reading
Help Create Brighter Futures! PEF Leadership Conference October 2
If we want our children to achieve, we can’t just leave it to our schools. We, each and every one of us, have to find a way to help the children. And here’s a way to begin. Plan to join … Continue reading