Apr 16
It’s testing time. That one time each year that should not be a big deal. I mean, really, it’s just a test. Well, that’s the way it should be. It should just be a test. One more, little bit of data added to the data we collect all year to determine how our students are …
Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2012/04/16/two-sides-to-testing/
Mar 08
Our amazing water quality project has come to an end. Students have been busy the last few weeks sharing presentations of their work with each other, writing final conclusion blogs (#comments4kids), and self-assessing their understandings of the Science standards that most closely fit our project. Since we are beginning a completely different unit studying physical science …
Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2012/03/08/6th-graders-finishing-water-quality/
Feb 13
Public schools exist to ensure that everyone has an opportunity for an education. An education is supposed to be the equalizer that prepares everyone to achieve their American Dream. Whether your dream is to open your own business, be a doctor, a lawyer, a football star, a baseball star, an actor, a famous musician, or …
Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2012/02/13/school-accountability/
May 12
Tuesday night at 6pm Chimacum Middle School hosted a screening of the movie Race to Nowhere. We had 92 people from our community, our schools, Sequim, and Port Townsend attend the screening and afterward many stayed behind to discuss the movie’s content. Speaking for myself, the movie was amazing. At a few points throughout the …
Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2011/05/12/our-race-to-somewhere/
Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2011/02/10/we-are-the-change-we-need/
Jan 21
This is a post that I wrote when Joe Bower, who teaches middle school aged children in Alberta, Canada, asked me if I would write a guest post on his blog (see it here – Joe has an incredible blog where he writes often about changing education for the better). I jumped at the chance …
Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2011/01/21/lessons-ive-learned-from-my-students-blogs/
Oct 17
I’ve never been a fan of teaching to a state test. I don’t mind assessing my students and I think it’s all right if students take common assessments to see how they’re doing. When I start teaching in South Central Los Angeles back in 1991 students were taking the CTBS multiple choice test. Knowing that …
Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2010/10/17/ed-reform-okay/
Oct 06
[I sent this email yesterday to all the parents on of my current students, well all the parents whose email I have.] Hello Students and Families, You are getting this email because you have a child who has me for either 6th grade Science, 8th grade Science or Eagle Time or a combination of those. …
Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2010/10/06/1st-email-to-parents/
Sep 06
Can you believe that school has started! Today is our first day back to school and I’m very excited for this brand new school year. I have the great pleasure of getting to work with every 6th grader as they enter middle school for the first time. I’m also very fortunate to get to work …
Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2010/09/06/welcome-to-mr-gonzalezs-class/
Aug 22
[Note: I don’t use the consequences or document listed in this post anymore. I am striving to make learning for my students about information and NOT about rewards and punishments. A difficult endeavor worth doing!] I’ve been getting quite a few pointers from the Smart Classroom Management blog. If you don’t subscribe to it, do …
Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2010/08/22/classroom-management-communication/
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