On February 7, 2017, Betsy DeVos was confirmed as U.S. Secretary of Education. The confirmation was one of the most contested appointments in recent history, having passed by a tie vote in the Senate with the Vice President stepping in to break the tie. Many factors make DeVos unqualified for the role, not the least … More Betsy DeVos: the Silver Lining
The misuse of high stakes standardized tests in our nation’s public schools has changed the way our children are educated, the way schools and teachers are measured, and even public perception of our schools. We have become obsessed with a focus on what is easily measured at the expense of everything else. The emotional toll it’s taking … More Take Back Florida Schools
The following post is shared, with permission, from Meredith Jewell – a former public high school math teacher in Florida who is now teaching in the Philippines. Meredith is a staunch supporter of public education who hopes her story might bring to light the notion that Florida does not have to use tests in the way … More Testing in Florida: View from a former teacher
It goes without saying that most, if not all, parents want to know how their children are performing in school. Teachers want to know as well, as do school officials, district leaders and of course our state government (or so we thought). We all want to know, but the question is how. Having been used … More Report Cards are Meaningless? What?
We need every single person speaking up on behalf of children. If you are happy with the status quo, there is no need to read this. If you are not, this is an important read. Education reform is having a detrimental effect on classrooms across our state and across the nation. Teachers no longer feel they have … More There is no next time. It’s now or never.
Because of the high stakes placed on tests by the state, teachers are forced to focus on test preparation at the expense of real learning. Some third graders who do need extra help are not receiving the assistance they need due to the obsessive test prep and stealing of instruction time. Children complain of test anxiety … More Lawsuit: 3rd Grade Parents v. Florida Dept. of Ed.
Teacher Appreciation Week is quickly approaching, May 2 – 6. This nationwide celebration is promoted by the U.S. Department of Education, Florida Department of Education (FL DOE), and most school districts as a time to thank public school teachers for their time and dedication to our children. Ideas abound for creative ways to show your … More Teacher Appreciation Week: Restore Value to the Profession
Who is the real failure? “Our students live in perpetual fear in the public schools. Fear from not eating enough, fear from being attacked on the way to school…Who’s worried about test scores? They don’t have time to worry about test scores because we’re not addressing the poverty and violence that literally populate their everyday … More Failure Factories? – I Beg to Differ
What will it take for real change to happen within our broken education system? How many more highly qualified, dedicated, passionate teachers have to leave the profession and take their passions elsewhere? How many more parents have to deliver emotional and difficult speeches to School Boards about what their children and teachers are experiencing? How … More How Many More?
The amount of personal and psychological data being collected from children in public schools by the Federal government has significantly increased. They claim to use this data to inform teaching and improve learning outcomes. While there are some cases of positive use of data collection in education, the sheer volume of data being collected about … More When academics collide with technology- where do we cross the line?
UnitED For Florida Children 