Recent Blog Posts

Pre-K Matters

Very good read on the impact of Pre-K presented by NPR. Several of the most respected early elementary educators gathered together to create a list of consensus findings. http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2017/05/03/524907739/pre-k-decades-worth-of-studies-one-strong-message

What ails rural schools

As first seen in EdWeek Teacher in a blog series hosted by Larry Ferlazzo . . . Whether you subscribe to the ranking systems of schools put forth by outside entities or not, for the sake of this blog I encourage you to indulge me. Of the Top 60 schools in my state (Illinois) as ranked by US News and World Report, only one school could be considered rural, and it is certainly not poor and boasts a teacher: student… Read More »What ails rural schools

9 things that should unsettle us about education

Great article challenging us to think bigger and question traditional practices in education that simply are not working. https://medium.com/@willrich45/9-elephants-in-the-class-room-that-should-unsettle-us-917369ebffbb

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week

My favorite teacher is a man named Colin Hopper. He was an Abe Lincoln doppelganger who had a passion for history. He single-handedly turned my least favorite subject as a 10th grader into my future profession. He would encourage debate, treat teenagers like adults, and force me to think. I would leave his class so fired up sometimes the entire lunch conversation was about the debate in History class. Man, could that guy teach. He taught me to love learning.… Read More »Happy Teacher Appreciation Week

Five things to know about college freshmen

Really interesting, research-based, piece identifying what society needs to know about our ’13th’ graders. Issues explored include social media, mental health, and politics. http://www.latimes.com/local/education/la-me-edu-american-freshmen-20170501-htmlstory.html

Elon Musk shares a vision for the future

If you think you dream big – you clearly have not heard Elon Musk speak. This 40 minute excerpt hits on a myriad of topics including space colonization, underground tunnels to alleviate traffic, solar powered houses, and a future you can think about without being sad. https://www.ted.com/talks/elon_musk_the_future_we_re_building_and_boring?platform=hootsuite

What sets successful CEOs apart?

Really engaging read from Harvard Business Review detailing four key characteristics of successful leaders. This is just one great excerpt from the article you are linked to below Legends about CEOs who always seem to know exactly how to steer their companies to wild success seem to abound in business. But we discovered that high-performing CEOs do not necessarily stand out for making great decisions all the time; rather, they stand out for being more decisive. They make decisions earlier, faster,… Read More »What sets successful CEOs apart?

The Price of Progress

Culture eats strategy for breakfast – Drucker Education is changing rapidly. Every year, as the world we are preparing students for changes, so too must education. I admit, as an educator, the change can be daunting at times, but not only is it the appropriate thing to do it can also be exhilarating. In a great number of schools and districts throughout the nation, however, the change process is something that is feared and in essence conspired against by cultures… Read More »The Price of Progress

7 Tips for Transforming Parent Teacher Conferences

How many of you have sat through a Parent-Teacher Conference (PTC) that has been an utter disaster? I know I have been on both sides of the desk when a PTC has gone awry and actually serves to fracture or diminish relationships between the parent and teacher. Think about it – PTCs are just about the most public representation of our school system that exists and the most systematic effort to engage families in the educational experience. Therefore, PTCs are… Read More »7 Tips for Transforming Parent Teacher Conferences