Uncommon Core

A book for everyone

I’ve been rereading Uncommon Core in preparation for planning out my next book, and I have to tell you, it’s giving me the feels. I’ve cried through every chapter, remembering the connection I had with my students and the lessons we learned from each other. In some ways, it’s a hard book to market becauseContinueContinue reading “A book for everyone”

May Discussion with Global Teacher Bloggers: What do teachers most want to tell parents?

What do teachers most want to tell parents? “Effective parenting refers to carrying out the responsibilities of raising and relating to children in such a manner that the child is well prepared to realize his or her full potential as a human being. It is a style of raising children that increases the chances ofContinueContinue reading “May Discussion with Global Teacher Bloggers: What do teachers most want to tell parents?”

The Top 12 Global Teacher Blogger Discussion: March 2017

What roles do teachers have in creating kind and compassionate citizens? Teaching is about investing in our future. Teachers need to do more than teach content. We are so much more than knowledge transmitters and test proctors. We are human beings that have made it our life’s mission to improve the world through nurturing, guidingContinueContinue reading “The Top 12 Global Teacher Blogger Discussion: March 2017”

The Top 12 Global Teacher Blogger Discussion: February 2017

How do we teach young people the rigorous critical thinking and research skills to distinguish news from propaganda? How do we ensure the next generation is one which communicates civically, values honesty, and recognizes reality? First, we have to have courses for young people to take that are centered on critical thinking. Most college campusesContinueContinue reading “The Top 12 Global Teacher Blogger Discussion: February 2017”

“Volunteering” by guest blogger Felicia Thomas

As a college writing teacher, I have the pleasure of helping my students discover their writing voice and their passions in life. Every once and a while I will read an essay that I need to post on my blog because it lines up with my goals, which is to help people find their own healthyContinueContinue reading ““Volunteering” by guest blogger Felicia Thomas”

Guest Blogger: Letter to Millennials

The Problem with Choice

I know too many people who are not educators (and some who are) that are in favor of the choice movement in education. The biggest reason people want choice is to improve the education for their own children and then create competition so that other schools will be forced to improve or shut down. Unfortunately,ContinueContinue reading “The Problem with Choice”

Uncle Phil Radio Show Nov 11, 2016

I had the pleasure of talking about my book on the Uncle Phil Show on Friday. It’s a bit long, but a great hour-long discussion with Phil and Marshall. We had some deep conversations about education, bullying and how to help our children in this climate of fear, but mostly, we laughed and bonded over ourContinueContinue reading “Uncle Phil Radio Show Nov 11, 2016”

The Top 12 Global Teacher Blogger Discussion: October 2016

How do we better engender a healthy, happy, and productive school environment where both teachers and students can flourish? In Martin E.P. Seligman’s Flourish (published April 5, 2011 with Simon and Schuster), he writes about the five elements people need in order to flourish. It goes beyond trying to find happiness: “Flourishing rests on five pillars, eachContinueContinue reading “The Top 12 Global Teacher Blogger Discussion: October 2016”

The Top 12 Global Teacher Blogger Discussion: September 2016

How can we maximize the value of art and music in education and how can it be blended with more traditional subjects (math, science, history, etc.)? I teach at a community college, and a professor there created an art therapy club for professors, adjunct, and staff. Nine people attended the first session where they coloredContinueContinue reading “The Top 12 Global Teacher Blogger Discussion: September 2016”