accountable  (əˈkaʊntəb ə l)-adj.1. responsible to someone or for some action; answerable 2. able to be explained Since the early 1990's (perhaps before, but I wasn't particularly concerned before then) both state and federal politicians have been calling for measures to ''hold teachers more accountable.'' Most of their ideas have lacked ...

I’m stuck tonight unable to sleep.  It seems dumb, but I cannot stop thinking about those HB555 changes.  I’ve got this image in my head of what the end of the 2014-2015 school year will look like in Ohio, and it’s a little something like this: We’re a year into holding kids back in third grade for the Third Grade Reading Guarantee.  Elementary ...

It wasn’t that long ago when I followed the report card legislation from first mention, through the “Yes, it’s happening/No, it’s not” debates, to the 11th hour NCLB waiver application, and finally to the May 30, 2012, NCLB waiver approval. In May we were left knowing that the NCLB waiver application submitted by the state of Ohio included ...

Which is the more noble task? Generating the idea or carrying it out?  Action without thought is ineffective, but thought without action is useless.  The dichotomy reminds me of James' warning in the Christian Bible's New Testament.  He reminded early Christians that ''faith without works is dead.'' For two millennia, Christians have debated the ...

Sometimes I wonder what the word “reform” even means in the world of education today.  When I scroll through my Twitter feeds and Google reader, I see far leaning left reformists who want a total overhaul to schools as we know them.  They idealize schools without borders, totally individualized and student-driven learning paths, no standardized ...

It is actually a stupid question.  Most say it is Michael Jordan.  But there are number of ways to determine the best basketball player of all time.  For some it depends on which number you look at.  Where a player ranks in terms of a particular statistical category is the usual measure.  Scoring, rebounding, assists, simple wins and losses, game ...

ODE just released an RFP (“Request for Proposals”) from any local district (RttT and non-RttT) for alternative compensation plans. Proposals are due November 1 and must include: Each proposal shall include: A detailed description of the LEA’s current compensation system Evidence of the need for, interest in, and commitment to an alternative ...

My classroom teaching experience was spent in smaller districts.  The first “district” was a small, private school in Chillicothe where I literally had 7 middle school students (grades 6-8) and maybe 10 high school students.  I don’t know that there was a set curriculum other than I was given a couple of textbooks and told, “Good luck.”  I had a ...

I vaguely remember the moment when it hit me in my classroom…It was a couple years into my career as a secondary teacher, poring through half-sheet after half-sheet of reading pop quizzes from my 130 students, marking red “x” after red “x,” thinking to myself “We just talked about this!  Why didn’t they pay attention when they were reading!!” and ...

Summer.  A break from teaching.  Routines and schedules cast aside.  The greatest blessing and sometimes curse for families. There is a reason that neither myself or my wife are stay at home parents.  We wouldn’t be very good at it.  But for six or seven weeks each summer we handle it pretty well.  Usually.  During our week of vacation my ...