Whole Leaders, Whole Teachers

Whole Leaders, Whole Teachers

As an assistant principal who dealt with most behavior-related issues in the building, I was curious to know how the others in our region were being proactive in keeping students engaged in learning. My question was largely met with silence, and finally one principal...
Speak No More of Rigor?

Speak No More of Rigor?

Writers, philosophers, and mystics know that naming a concept or abstract reality puts limits on our ability to truly comprehend it. By labeling things, we attempt to contain them, define them, and compartmentalize them. An educational term that everyone uses but few...
Finding the Sweet Spot on the Rigor Curve

Finding the Sweet Spot on the Rigor Curve

Rigor is a word that gets thrown around in meetings, planning documents and social media amongst educators. But what exactly is rigor? Anyone who has been in education for long can attest to the pervasiveness of buzzwords. Heck there’s even an online Educational...
Was Life in the Middle Ages Really a Fairytale, Continued

Was Life in the Middle Ages Really a Fairytale, Continued

Guest Blogger Stella Baker is an English Language Arts teacher at Owsley County Middle School. She has been teaching in Kentucky schools for 29 years. Over that period of time she has taught a variety of subjects and grade levels, but has always returned to middle...
The Difference Between Testing and Teaching

The Difference Between Testing and Teaching

It will take longer than 40 minutes to write this blog. It will take longer than 90 minutes to write this blog. In fact, I’ve been working on this blog for something like 23 years, when high-stakes testing first found its way into education policy and into my ELA...