More Education News...

...than I can write about. So I'm not going to try - just going to let those who already did it show off their work.

As with many, many districts around the state, my old district is handing out pink slips. (By the way, teachers, if any of you feel like sending me a copy (electronically or otherwise) of your pink slip/March 15 letter, I'd love to see them. My former district sent really mean ones and I'd like to see if that is the norm.

The district hasn't really known how much money it has had for some time now. This started about 6 years ago maybe, when they switched financial software and all of a sudden couldn't find tens of millions of dollars.

There are a few good schools in this district and everyone wants their kids enrolled.

A very interesting blog post about NCLB and the Corridor of Shame.

Adult illiteracy.

Phasing out schools - often the same schools the district spent a ton of money on starting, when they were on their "new small schools" kick. Seriously, some of these schools haven't been in existance 5 years yet and they're already being phased out?

I would give these lunches much less than a C+. I've tried them.

Not that history classes ever get to the Vietnam War (at least none of mine ever did), but if they did it would be good to teach this.

Comments

Anonymous said…

I was just thinking about functional illiteracy today when I was ranting to a friend about how very few people seem to be capable of writing professional-level communications like business letters and email. And then, I thought about the fact that alarming levels of people actually just straight up cannot read/write, let alone punctuate a professional communication, and I felt cold and kind of sick inside.

5:54 PM

Anonymous said…

Also, the comments on that adult illiteracy article caused my head to explode. I realize that there are people who think like that in America, but MY GOD.

5:58 PM

Volunteers

I had some of the most overqualified volunteers ever in my third grade class. This may have had something to do with the fact that I shamelessly begged my friends to help in any way possible. I think there were a few friends who I asked to come as soon as I met them, before I was entirely sure of their names. Some of my volunteers included: -Someone with an MFA helping kids read -a PhD candidate in chemical engineering from Stanford helping with math -a PhD candidate in civil engineering from Cal helping with math -several PhD candidates in engineering from Cal teaching about construction (several years in a row) and helping with a field trip -my extremely talented brother bringing his drums several times -a friend from Pixar who got us tours three different years, once when they were no longer giving tours - and came to the class to sign the kids' toys from Cars . -a physical therapist (who I think has a masters') who helped the kids with reading -many athlet...

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Bronwyn Harris, Author

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