It seems strange how many ideas I get for blog posts while sitting in church. Father will say something and my mind pings. Sometimes it begins writing the post while I should be paying attention (sorry, Jerald!). Today, I simply tucked the word brochure into my memory so I could go back to paying attention to the brilliant sermon. It (the sermon) ( Read more... )

Here is a link to a story posted to Facebook yesterday: http://www.mlive.com/news/saginaw/index.ssf/2013/03/freeland_fifth_grader_amasses.html. I am thrilled to see a kid praised for reading. I just wish it were not in the ( Read more... )

I posted last week about teacher evaluations and about one "instrument" for doing evaluations from Charlotte Danielson. Lo and behold, today there is a new piece about Danielson and her instrument here: https:// ( Read more... )

If you are familiar with this old saw, actually a quote from OTHELLO, knows how it continues: "Good name in man and woman, dear my lord, Is the immediate jewel of their souls. Who steals my purse steals trash; 'tis something, nothing; 'Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been slave to thousands; But he that filches from me my good name Robs me of that ( Read more... )

Here we go again. Another programmed approach to reading touts that is research-based. Look closely, however, and you will discover that the program itself has not been subjected to experimental research that demonstrated its effectiveness. Instead, the components of the program have some data to suggest that this piece and this piece and maybe ( Read more... )

Yesterday's reading at the gospel was the story of the rich man who asked Jesus how to gain eternal salvation. I loved the words of the sermon from our deacon who described this as a man asking for a "plan" or "program" that would guarantee his entrance into heaven. He wanted a step by step way to ensure his salvation. Deacon Phyllis said it was ( Read more... )

A link in the latest edition of Smart Brief (and I fell as if I should use air quotes whenever I mention this newsletter) led to a story about a program helping struggling readers in one district. The program was Read 180, and the article noted awards given to students who had read the most words. That alone gave me pause. Since when do we give ( Read more... )

Each day I discover that I have won a lottery, that I have been selected to help someone smuggle money out of her country to the US, been told I am a long lost relative of a billionaire, or that I am one of the lucky few who will have the chance to hear about an exciting new product, property, or venture. Because I am staying on the west coast ( Read more... )

I love my PLN. Yes, I know I say this often. But I really do love these folks who make me smarter every time we talk, text, email, and use our Voxer group for updates and reflections. This week, one of the members of the PLN was talking about having to transition from one brand of tea to another since the old brand was going away. Her local ( Read more... )

I have to ask myself why a professional organization emails ads to me such as the one I received this week. It touted a new product about writing. And here comes to eduspeak, jargon-ridden description:

Built from scratch to meet the new higher expectations, Ready Writing empowers students in grades 2-5 to take charge of their learning ( Read more... )