Lesley McSpadden, the mother of Michael Brown, emphatically questioned if we understand the amount of effort required just to see Michael graduate. Unfortunately, the answer to her question would become buried underneath a wealth of information that followed her son’s death and a charged debated about Michael’s character.

At the center of this discussion is whether Michael contributed to his death. The conversation is hard to comprehend because it not only questions if Michael Brown could have prevented the manner in which he was gunned down, but it primes another misguided question: Can behavior modifications in general stop oppressive practices? This line of thinking is problematic because the agents of change are those who experience discrimination, not powerful systems and key players that have a genuine ability to decrease and even stop discrimination. Continue reading “Do We Understand How Hard It Was to Get Michael Brown to Graduate?”

The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Coldest Winter Ever grew into personal favorites because each uses irony to deliver a memorable life lesson.

Oscar Wilde writes about the dangers of coveting physical beauty, while Sister Souljah illustrates how the intersection of poverty, incarceration, and drugs surfaces throughout inner city neighborhoods. The books share striking differences. Most noticeable are the categorizations. The Picture of Dorian Gray is part of the American literary canon while The Coldest Winter Ever is considered a classic from the urban literature genre. Continue reading “Keep Mirrors in Learning Environments and Media”

As an educational leader, it is likely that you have searched for research to support the development of professional learningexperiences for educators and to inform policy design work. Professional developers will immediately recognize the name Bruce Joyce.  Publications by Drs. Bruce Joyce and Beverly Showers, particularly their findings on the effects of peer coaching, are considered to be seminal work in our field (e.g., Student Achievement through Staff Development (Joyce & Showers, 2002). Many preservice educators have designed teacher preparation courses around Models of Teaching. Dr. Joyce and fellow authors, Drs. Marsha Weil and Emily Calhoun recently released the Ninth Edition of Models of Teaching.  It has been my good fortune to include both Bruce Joyce and Emily Calhoun among the colleagues that have shaped my career. Last week, I had the privilege of visiting  Bruce and interviewing him about the Models of Teaching and his current thinking on professional learning. Continue reading “Bruce Joyce Shares Insights about the New Edition of Models of Teaching”

This blog by Deb Hansen, Senior Policy Analyst, West Wind Education Policy, was written for the Council of Chief State School Officers’ (CCSSO) State Consortium on Educator Effectiveness (SCEE). This two-part blog series provides information about Recruiting and Retaining Diverse Personnel, a new Hanover Research report, that explores state and national demographic trends that contribute to minority teacher shortages and shares practices and recommendations for recruiting and retaining teachers of color. SCEE leaders who are responsible for maintaining a qualified and diverse workforce will be interested in this review of recent literature and analysis of data that describe the diversity context in K-12 education systems and policy strategies for addressing shortages of minority educators in the United States. Examples of key findings about the minority teacher deficit, as stated in the report are: Continue reading “New Hanover Report: Minority Teacher Deficit Continues To Widen”

I just tweeted my thanks to teachers for this years’ Teacher Appreciation Week. Reflecting on the various blogs, tweets, and articles in the news that comment on the importance of teachers and praised teachers for their professionalism and dedication, I found them to be a bit de rigueur. I agree that teachers are essential to improved student learning. No doubt, there are many dedicated and passionate teachers in the workplace. Teachers should be recognized for their professionalism and the work they do. I suggest that acknowledging the work of teachers should be more explicit and action oriented. Volunteer in a classroom! Help a teacher with the tasks that allow them to spend more time with students. Continue reading “How to Thank a Teacher”

Yesterday during our elementary school’s annual “Chalk the Walk” to thank our teachers, my nine year-old son drew this picture near the school entrance. I must admit I was a little nervous when he started drawing the man with the funny teeth. I know he loves his teachers, but he also loves to be the funny guy. When I reminded him that we were there to say thank you and the pictures should be nice, he smiled up at me and said, “Don’t worry all the time, Mom. I am drawing a nice picture. This is to make my teachers smile, not get mad.” Continue reading “Say Thank You — Or Else”

Congratulations to the 2014 Teacher of the Year, Sean McComb, a teacher at Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts in Baltimore. McComb and his fellow State Teachers of the Year were recognized by President Obama yesterday in the East Room of the White House. Check out more Teacher of the Year news to hear about the work of McComb and his colleagues #NTOY14 #CCSSO