After An Educator's Journey
Out of the classroom & into the universe
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Once upon a time, I taught 2nd, 3rd, and 4th graders. Now I’m retired and working on new ventures.
Tag: education
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Last Friday as I watched one of my favorite weekly shows (Greater Boston‘s Beat the Press segment), I heard panelist Margery Eagan describe the atmosphere at the Boston Globe as the “joyless pursuit of excellence”. In our local newspaper world, there is no doubt that the Globe is a superb paper and even when I don’t agree…
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Many (many) years ago, I read nearly all of Norman Vincent Peale’s Positive Thinking books. I read them during a dark time: I was struggling with the career for which I had trained (which turned out not to be a match); a spiritual life that was unfulfilling. In need of an epiphany, I ended up watching…
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This is a tumultuous time to be a teacher – many, many new mandates are arriving this year making for a lot of teacher discomfort as we try to make sense of things. My own personality is that I am an early adopter – not always a good thing I’m sure, but I do tend…
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I have to touch the third rail: is education today more assimilation into a one-size-fits-all or is it about reaching a baseline of standards for learning? I ask this because lately it seems that there is an underlying expectation that we plan or are given one lesson and asked to apply it to every student…
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A colleague of mine once referred to No Child Left Behind as No Teacher Left Standing. We laughed – later we cried – and now, speaking just for myself here, we are just plain depressed. It matters not how diligent an educator is about keeping up with research and data, the stream of new initiatives…
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It is a reward unlike any monetary bonus or plaque. I can’t speak for other educators, but I live for the moment when there is that small, fleeting glimmer that there has been a connection between students and teacher. At this time in the school year, I am still sorting out student learning styles and…
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It’s been a long, strange journey from where I started as a teacher to the present. I say this because I’ve just finished a month of work with some wonderfully talented third grade teachers on our District’s Common Core Math curriculum maps. When I think back on the way I used to teach, I’m reminded…
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We recently returned from a quick trip to DC. The DC-Maryland-Virginia area has been hit hard by a weather system which resulted in many downed tress and, even during our visit, many in the DC area were without power days after the storm itself had passed. Pepco, Old Dominion, BGE – the area utility companies had…
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Here’s some advice from my experienced third graders to my incoming students: Rase (sic) your hand because you are being rude if you are talking and it’s someone else’s turn. Raise your hand because there is no blurting 207. Pay attention because you might know what to do. Follow directions so you get smarter. Be persistent…
After An Educator's Journey 