@LukeKohlmoos guest EDGEucator blogger and former director of teacher eval for state of Tennessee tells it like it is: “Compared to what?” may be one of the most under-asked but most important questions in policy making and implementation. When you see surveys that indicate half of teachers think their evaluation process is helping to improve instruction in their schools there are a few different ways to react to that generally...
Presidential Words on Presidents’ Day
Check out this list POTUS’ quotes about leadership from long ago to now (by Phillip Ross of International Business Times) On leadership: “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” — John Quincy Adams, U.S. president from 1825 to 1829. On facing challenges: “The harder the conflict, the greater the triumph.” ― George Washington, U.S. president from 1789 to...
A Thought about Innovation on Labor Day
Today I received this interesting (and inspiring) Silicon Valley venture capitalist which I thought I would share with you on this Labor Day: “Thomas Edison failed a lot more than he succeeded. In developing a commercially viable light bulb, he went through over ten thousand prototypes before getting it right. But Edison saw things differently, remarking, ‘I have not failed 10,000 times. I have not failed once. I have succeeded in...
Social Networks and Teacher Performance
With great interest the other day I read this terrific blog posting http://shankerblog.org/?p=10340 by Alan Daily and Kara Finnigan (an up and coming researcher team supported in part by the WT Grant Fdn). Their findings about the social context and relationships in teaching made me think about how this similarly applies to the process of educator preparation, particularly to the clinical experiences of teacher candidates . The social...
RIP Inspiring Loving Lady
I was deeply saddened by the passing of #MayaAngelou yesterday. Back in 1997 I shared a stage with her at a Families Alive conference in Utah. She gave this incredibly inspiring speech. Check it out here. I was in awe just to be in the same room with this love-inspiring poet-legend. Almost sheepishly I then delivered my remarks outlining the Clinton Administration’s education policy themes of the second term…Nope, not quite as...
When Teachers Have the Floor
Check out this new blog from the TN Dept of Ed by Eva Boster, the dept’s teacher ambassador: Classroom Chronicles. And then read this note from EDGE co-founder Ruth Goltzer to Ms Boster: ” Wow..another impressive entry! Very clear, well-written and interesting. The teachers must really appreciate having an ambassador….someone from the Department whose sole mission if to listen to them, respect their input and strenuously...
