Blogs on Teacher Leadership

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Get support and guidance from change makers who are organizing and implementing real improvements to our educational system.

Elana LeoniJune 20, 2012

It's June, and one of the biggest edtech conferences in the US is quickly approaching -- ISTE's annual conference & exposition in San Diego. I don't know about you, but I always get nerdily excited for opportunities like this to network and collaborate with likeminded folks passionate about education. ISTE currently has almost 700 sessions available to attend, some buzz-worthy keynotes including Sir Ken Robinson and Dr. Yong Zhao, and a HUGE edtech expo. With all of these events going on, it can be overwhelming to even the most tech-savvy educator. So, I've compiled some useful tips from my experiences at ISTE that can help you make the most of your trip.

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Ben JohnsonJune 12, 2012

His name was Kevin (a pseudonym). He had red hair and freckles with a slight build. He was confident and well spoken (perhaps outspoken). He was probably the smartest student I had ever seen. His mother was divorced and worked a horse training operation by herself. Kevin had to take care of his two younger siblings. Every one of his middle school teachers complained about him. His attendance was horrible, but that is not why teachers disliked him.

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Mark PhillipsJune 8, 2012

School's out. Politics is in. Five months of presidential political combat lie ahead. So I'm psyched to revisit the challenge of effectively educating kids to be active participants in our democratic processes. I plan to post a number of columns over the next months that focus on student voice, the teaching of democracy, civic engagement and political literacy. I'm hoping some of you will join the discussion and toss in your two cents.

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Maurice EliasJune 7, 2012

Whether you are an educator or a parent of a high school student, or both, you will be involved in graduations. Most commencement speeches are not memorable. Some, though, contain a good message that gets lost because the speaker goes on for too long. I have been asking people, "Looking back, what would you have wanted someone to say to you at your commencement? What advice would have been good to hear at that point, and on that occasion?"

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Anne OBrienJune 4, 2012

Summer learning loss is a well-documented phenomenon, with students losing between one and two months' worth of academic knowledge each summer. And low-income students suffer a steeper rate of loss than their peers - half of the achievement gap seen in reading can be attributed to summer loss. (There is one area in which students get ahead during the summer: They gain weight two or three times faster during the summer months than during the school year.)

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Elena AguilarJune 1, 2012

Where there is no vision, the people perish.
--Proverbs

Does your school have a mission or a vision? Does it mean something and inform decision-making? Or is it just something posted on some wall/paper/handbook that you vaguely remember? Do you have a vision for yourself as a teacher, principal, coach, etc.? What do you feel is your mission?

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Nicholas ProvenzanoMay 31, 2012

I often get emails from teachers looking for the perfect tool for their class. I love that teachers are excited to find new tools and integrate them into their lesson plans. As someone who has experience with different tools, I'm a logical person to ask for help when looking for something new. I have a dirty little secret, though.

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Suzie BossMay 31, 2012

When bestselling author Rebecca Skloot came home to Portland, Oregon, for a recent visit, she received a hero's welcome from educators who teach those who don't thrive in traditional school. Her tributes to the teachers who helped her on her way offer a timely reminder today, the last day of Teacher Appreciation Month, about the invaluable role educators play as door-openers to their students' futures.

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Elena AguilarMay 30, 2012

One of my favorite summer activities is reading -- I relish those long afternoons (and mornings and evenings) on the couch (or beach or bed) when I lose myself in a book. I remember vacations by what I read; travels get surreal overtones because of the confusion with the interweaving of narratives -- reading Song of Solomon on Costa Rica's Pacific coast or Pope Joan in Jamaica -- stories that don't match my environs when I close the book. I'll compromise the purity of the travel-experience, however, for a side trip into a good book.

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Anne OBrienMay 25, 2012

Last week marked the 58th anniversary of Brown versus the Board of Education of Topeka, arguably the most important Supreme Court decision of the 20th century. With the declaration that "separate educational facilities are inherently unequal," the Court determined that laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students were unconstitutional

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