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The Care of Your Soul Became Mine

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I would like to remove some rocks from your field so that you can plant more wheat. And those hills I see that are part of you, I have some trees in mind for them and flowering grasses, so that you won’t erode when the elements pour. Are we not lovers? Cannot I speak to … Continue reading »

Spaces of Peace

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Spaces of Peace        There are no words that can accurately describe or encapsulate the senseless crimes that took place on December 14th in Connecticut.  Any expose on gun control or childhood safety in which I would write, would only be white noise, overwhelmingly drowned out by the heartbreaking which is currently echoing … Continue reading »

Our Responsibility

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            In the wake of the horrible tragedy at the Sandy Hook Elementary school in Newton, Connecticut, it may be time to reflect on our responsibilities as a society. No matter our role, we all have an individual and collective responsibility in how we respond to tragedies of this magnitude. Certainly our hearts, thoughts, prayers … Continue reading »

Oh no, we don’t talk about that! now shhh….

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Over the past few years, public discussion, and outrage over the blatant patterns of ethical and immoral misconduct in our nation’s schools have seemingly went untouched by some of the blogospheres most relevant education bloggers. From teenage girls being forced out of school because of unwed pregnancies, to Gay, Trans, and Lesbian students being openly … Continue reading »

If Not Now, Then When?

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The shock and horror of a school shooting becomes a reminder for me that schools are still seen as safe places, refuges, at times even sacred spaces in a broken world. The fact that we are so surprised speaks volumes about how safe schools feel to most people. Still, when the collective unity begins to … Continue reading »

Why Not Teach For America

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Well, it’s about that time of year — when seniors start frantically applying for fellowships and internships and jobs, the socially conscious among them aching for a career that will allow them to change the world, others looking for something they can put on their application for law school. Then comes along the recruiting powerhouse … Continue reading »

Big Picture Saved My Life. Really. (Guest Post by Student John Dubie)

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Publishing this story on behalf of John Dubie, a senior in the Big Picture program in Burlington, VT. John is also a stand-up comedian (catch his act in various locales around Vermont) and an organizer for IDEA. This is his autobiography. For as long as I can remember I was the kid in class who … Continue reading »

No Excuses for Zero Tolerance: Ageism and the Reformist Utopia

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Acting as an extension in purview to Zero Tolerance measures, No Excuses is model under the reformist movement that emphasizes academic essentialism and ageist authoritarianism by operating off the general premise that youth in inner city communities have dismal educational systems because they are enthralled in a culture that cultivates “excuses.” Schools who adopt this … Continue reading »

I Dream of A System

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I dream of a system where “public school” is not a dirty word.  A system that I would willingly allow my future children to enter, without worry.  Where good education isn’t equivalent with the depth of your pocket.  A place where the value of education is recognized and funded accordingly. I dream of an environment … Continue reading »

10 Ways to Deal with a Hard Year

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I am having a difficult year. It’s hard for me to admit that, because I don’t want to be “that teacher” who complains about the kids and who blames the administration and who acts as if the universe owes him a unicorn and a mountain of peppermint fudge. I worry that in admitting just how … Continue reading »

How do reformers “see the whole elephant?”

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About 5 years ago, my school district brought in a reading expert. This was a real expert who had studied the reading process as her life’s work, some 40 years in schools and in a university laboratory setting. This expert has a list of book titles to her credit. Seeking help to design our Response To Intervention … Continue reading »

I Must Be Lazy

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I only participate in one sport and club, neither of which I am the head of. I must be lazy. I only take one AP class this year. I must be lazy. After school I enjoy watching the news or reading a book, rather than studying or doing all of my homework. I must be … Continue reading »

Learning to Think and Question (By Student Christian Isaac)

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The way we chastise or praise students at schools today is two laughs beyond hysterical. We’ve been raised to think that the most intelligent students are the ones who turn in their homework on time and fill in all the blanks on their notes. Society has gone so far, and has been so emaciated by … Continue reading »

GOOD Education: Kicker: New Media Startup Fights Back Against the Dumbing Down of America

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This piece originally appeared on GOOD Education: Kicker: New Media Startup Fights Back Against the Dumbing Down of America. Who is Osama bin Laden? Is he famous? Is he in a band as well? And why should I care? These were all questions that teenagers tweeted in May 2011 on the night President Obama announced that … Continue reading »

Kidwatching From Afar

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I’m sitting in the digital sandbox at VSTE, our state conference, thinking about the sessions I’ve seen so far. Most presenters I have watched have made some big assumptions about classes, teachers and learning that are mostly good- not using devices for skill and drill, assuming kids have access to technology and looking at ways … Continue reading »

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