Tag: Parents

Success Secrets

If you subscribe to Dan Pink’s email updates, his From the Desk on Daniel Pink, then you came across this Jeff Bezos memo that Dan shared on May 15. (Jeff Bezos is the founder, chairman, and CEO of Amazon in case you didn’t know.) I agreed with Dan that Jeff’s memo was totally worth reading. …

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Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2018/05/29/success-secrets/

Common Focus

In 2001 I worked on a proposal that got us a grant from the Gates Foundation for what they called back then Model Schools. Unfortunately, they found the Model Schools framework a failure so they dumped it in favor of their current efforts to test and measure to death. I couldn’t even find any info …

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Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2013/07/29/common-focus/

Math Stereotypes

[This is part of a series of posts I’m writing as I reflect on another online course I’m taking this summer, Stanford University’s EDUC115N How to Learn Math. Sure, I’m a Science teacher but I have taught Math so I’m familiar with Math instruction. Besides, we do use Math in Science so it’s not like …

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Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2013/07/23/math-stereotypes/

Pendulum Swing or The Answer?

[This is part of a series of posts I’m writing as I reflect on another online course I’m taking this summer, Stanford University’s EDUC115N How to Learn Math. Sure, I’m a Science teacher but I have taught Math so I’m familiar with Math instruction. Besides, we do use Math in Science so it’s not like …

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Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2013/07/22/pendulum-swing-or-the-answer/

Gamification Alternative to Grading?

One thing that’s really cool about Twitter is that you’re allowed to be nosey. People know that anyone who follows them can read what they’re tweeting. Now that may be obvious to everyone but I tend to by shy even online. I know, it’s weird to me too. It’s way easier for me to lurk …

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Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2013/03/13/gamification-alternative-to-grading/

HW and Trust

Thinking about homework again I’ve heard some of the reasons for giving homework and it boils down to trust. It seems, by the way some teachers talk, that they don’t trust that parents are properly preparing their children. Some teachers worry that parents don’t read to their kids or don’t encourage their kids to read …

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Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2013/01/06/hw-and-trust/

How Valuable is My Time?

Last week we had our parent/teacher/student conferences in an “arena style” format. What that means is that all the middle school teachers set up shop in the commons. Families come in, get their child’s progress report and visit each teacher in turn. In about half an hour or so a family could meet with all …

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Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2012/10/29/how-valuable-is-my-time/

The Homework Dilemma

Homework is a tough one. We all have our opinions about it. Reading Alfie Kohn’s work on the subject reveals that the research can’t really agree on whether homework is valuable or not for young kids. For my son, who is 15, homework is not pleasant but with prodding he’ll do it. We make sure …

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Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2012/10/04/the-homework-dilemma/

iPad and Tech Resources for Science

Check out a blog I wrote sharing iPad apps and other assorted tech resources I use with students in my Science classes on Digitizd (@digitizd): A Science Teacher Shares Tech Resources For Teachers, Parents & Students

Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2012/09/13/ipad-and-tech-resources-for-science/

My Own Children

I blog and share posts about my dislike of standardized tests. I especially hate when these tests are made high stakes to determine what kids know and how well teachers are teaching. And yet both my kids take them. Why don’t I opt them out? My son is 15 years old, a freshman in high …

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Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2012/05/22/my-own-children/

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