Let’s thank a retired New Jersey high school teacher for eloquently advocating the importance of teaching high school students to think. Frank Breslin recently wrote at Medium about how teens aren’t learning critical thinking, the most important skill in their education. Breslin writes:  “A school should teach its students how to think, not what to think; to question whatever…

https://www.edweek.org/leadership/opinion-time-is-a-schools-most-precious-resource-where-does-it-go/2023/09 A recent article from Ed Week points how teachers feel they don’t have enough time. Last year, the Merrimack College Teacher Survey reported that 29 percent of teachers said they wanted more planning time, 28 percent wanted more actual teaching time, and 17 percent more time to collaborate with colleagues.  I agree with the article.…

https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/the-interstate-teacher-mobility-compact-is-now-in-effect-heres-what-that-means/2023/07 “It’s going to make the recruitment of teachers easier. Anything to facilitate their mobility across state lines is going to be helpful to address teacher shortages.”– David Griffith, the associate executive director of policy and advocacy for the National Association of Elementary School Principals. To address teacher shortages, ten states have just made it…

https://ew.edweek.org/nxtbooks/epe/ew_08302023/index.php#/p/8 “State policymakers and district leaders are working to rebuild the teacher pipeline through long-term solutions, including by creating pathways to licensing for paraprofessionals, career-changers, and interested high school students.” For the past several years, schools have had a tough time finding qualified teachers to hire and have offered financial incentives and other perks. This…

https://www.edweek.org/technology/6-things-teachers-do-that-ai-just-cant/2023/09 “While there are a handful of teacher tasks that generative AI tools can replicate, teachers also have so many other strengths and responsibilities that would be very unlikely to be replaced by those tools.” –Education Week 8-31-23 The good news is that AI cannot replace what teachers do in the classroom everyday. Yes, the…

https://www.edutopia.org/article/fostering-students-sense-belonging How can teachers help students feel a sense of belonging in class even from the first day of school? Edutopia, an online source of information on what works in education, has some ideas that I plan to try out in my upper level high school French classes. They are the following: I’m looking forward…

https://www.nea.org/nea-today/all-news-articles/joy-reading-isnt-dead-yet What a sad situation that children are no longer reading for fun. The number of children and young adults who read for fun has dropped to an all-time low, as cited in an Aug. 30 NEA Today article by Mary Ellen Flannery. National research shows that 17% of 13-year olds read for fun every…

https://www.edweek.org/leadership/this-high-school-matches-freshmen-with-senior-mentors-they-all-get-course-credit/2023/08 “I genuinely don’t think I’d be where I am now, pursuing this career path, if I didn’t choose to do mentoring when I was in high school. It taught me so much about helping younger students with their day-to-day issues, and being empathetic.” –Dane Johnson, who is now in a graduate program in child…

https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/do-teachers-have-to-be-entertainers-heres-what-they-say/2023/08 “Engaging kids starts with your relationship with them. If you have a good relationship with them, they know you care about them, they are going to be so much more engaged,” she said. -Rachel Murat, high school teacher in Endwell, NY and New York state’s 2020 teacher of the year, For years, I’ve been…

https://www.medpagetoday.com/pediatrics/generalpediatrics/105970 “Screens can disrupt or displace interactions with caregivers and limit opportunities for verbal exchanges, which can impair communication and social skills. Passive screen time, such as mindlessly watching television or videos, may not allow children to practice interactive problem-solving skills.” –Dr. Jason Nagata of the University of California San Francisco. Toddlers who stare at…

“Because there is such a profound educator shortage, districts may decide investing in educator housing is a necessary option.” -Sasha Pudlski, advocacy director for AASA, the School Superintendent’s Association Rising housing costs are making it more difficult for educators to afford teaching in certain communities in America where salaries aren’t high. What should be done…

“You went from the pandemic to persecution. In some parts of this country, they’ve developed an intentional, toxic disrespect against teachers in public schools.” -US Secretary of Education Miquel Cardona Secretary of Education Miquel Cardona believes that teachers are facing an onslaught of disrespect from parents in certain states. Granted, groups like Moms for Liberty,…