Welcome Blog Post

Please introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about who you are, where you are from, what you teach and anything else you want to include!

Blog Post #1

Conventional Schools & Their Contexts: Ted Dintersmith observes, “Some encourage their schools to innovate; others push for better numbers (e.g. test scores, graduation rates, attendance).” What is your school’s focus this year? Do you feel encouraged to innovate? Do you feel pressured for better numbers (e.g. enrollment, passing grades, test scores, graduation rates, attendance)?
How does your school’s focus and this encouragement or pressure affect what you do day-to-day in your own classroom?

Blog Post #2

Ted Dintersmith, in his TED Talk “Prepare Our Kids For Life, Not Standardized Tests”, shares what he considers to be important life skills. List what you consider to be 3 important life skills that your school is good at teaching. Then, list 3 more important life skills that you wish you had more time to work on with your students. Of the 3 life skills on your wish list, choose one and discuss, specifically, what you could do to better prepare your students in this area.

Blog Post #3

Prepared For What: Ted Dintersmith warns about policymakers who say, “We have to be able to measure it.” What goals do you have for your students that can’t be measured? What goals do you have for your students that can be measured? Which set of goals do you spend more time on in the classroom? Which set of goals are most important for their future?

Blog Post #4

Nick Fuhrman, in his TED talk “The One Thing All Great Teachers Do”, mentions several qualities of a great teacher. Choose one of these traits and write specifically about what you can do to develop this quality in yourself. Who is the greatest teacher you’ve ever had? Did they have this quality? What made this teacher great in your eyes?

Blog Post #5

Social Equity: In this chapter, the author writes about observations made and issues raised during his visit to schools in 7 U.S. cities. Choose one of these 7 cities and share your thoughts about the observations made or your position on the issues raised.

Blog Post #6

Nikki Adeli, in her TED talk “What Standardized Tests Don’t Measure” questions the purpose of standardized testing. If you were the one in charge of standardized testing in your state and free to ignore current state, national, and collegiate requirements, what tests would you require of K-12 students? Please state the reasons you would require these tests. Or, if you decided to eliminate standardized testing altogether, please describe what assessments of learning you would implement in its place. In what ways can you meet Nikki Adeli’s call to action...how can you, your school, and your community invest in your present students?