Secrets of A School Principal

Well they moved on to New Hampshire. So what! Are any of these candidates going to talk about the real future, our children and schools. As we are distracted by religous views of candidates, what diner they had breakfast or lunch at we ignore the future which is our children and schools. No Child Left Behind makes people believe we are going to test our way to excellence. If that were the case we would be there. Truth be told we need to attract people with a love of children, a passion for excellence and the ability to see the connection of a strong educational system to the long term viability and success of the United States. No more smoke and mirrors lets committ to the energy that helped us put a man on the moon to reform our schools from traditional brick and mortar locations to places that use technology to bring the best people information and instruction to our students and teachers. If any of the candidates care about the future make them talk about education. Education is the great equalizer. It unlocks opportunites and it can never be taken away from you. We need to create lifelong learners if we want our children and country to be successful.

Labels: Clinton, education, excellence, Huckabee, McCain, NCLB, New Hampshire, Obama, Romney, Thompson

Have you noticed how all of the main stream candidates have totally avoided the issue of education. They all speak of quality and the importance of having quality schools or school choice. Is there really a choice? We need to treat this the way we treated the challenge of putting a man on the moon in the 1960's. Let's set what appears to be an impossible task and work to achieve it. Schools need to outfit schools with the tools to compete in a flattened digital world in all classrooms. We need to embark on a major program to train all stafff on how to use those technologies. This is like puttting the wheels on a moving bus. It can be done. We can not afford to be complacement.Candidates need to committ to transforming our bricks and mortar schools to places where the best teachers and information is available to students and teachers from anywhere and anytime. The future depends on us changing now!

Labels: achieve, candidates, education, iowa, quality, vision

The most insidious part of NCLB is it's ultimate dismantling of public education. Yes, public education needs to move away from it's outdated turn of the century assembly line model and be able to change more quickly to respond to a digital world. However, the qualities of teaching citizenship, socialization and giving excellent opportunities to all are critical. Educaction is truly the key that unlocks all opportunities. As a first generation American I know. Education should not just be for those with a large checkbooks but for all. Testing our way out of business is simply not the answer to better schools.

Labels: citizenship, education, NCLB, teaching, testing

Absolutely! It is all in the way you go about it. If you can present positive educational reasons for a teacher change ie. "My child is a visual learner and Mrs. Visual" use a visualizer or smartboard so Johnny will be able to process instruction better. That will work considerably better then I heard at the grocery store that Mrs..... is not a good teacher or that a neighbor had a bad experience. Stay calm and don't threaten to call the Superintendent. Keep things on a calm level and 9 times out of 10 you will pervail. Also don't wait to the first day of school to announce your request.

Labels: education, instruction, principal, secrets, student, teacher

No Child Left Behind (NCLB)appears to be on a collision course to destroy public education as we know it. More then destroying our schools they will destroy the fabric that has held us together as a nation for hundreds of years. Schools have walked the tightrope of providing social services while at the same time educating students for the past forty years. The burden or equity versus rigor has createed an educational high noon. Testing companies are trying to convince us that we can test our way out of this crisis. Well, whoever said "Weighing the pig over and over doesn't help it grow fatter" was pretty smart.

Coming next time, "The Fleecing of Public Education" by those we trust.

Labels: cheat, destroy, education, NCLB, patriotism, principal, public, superintendent