Lloyd Dobler would say something.If you don't, someone will.  This truism could be applied to countless scenarios but applies well to the field of public education.  Fact is that there are plenty of folks out there saying stuff about education. The media, politicians, reform leader profiteers, philanthropists are all weighing in.  Most of their ...

“If enough people care, the public may learn the course is not wise, not reform and backed by no evidence.  Public Education is a precious resource that must be preserved and improved for future generations.”   -Diane Ravitch, NCSS 2011 Diane Ravitch is a voice of reason and sanity in the politically charged and reckless world of education policy ...

Once upon a time before NCLB, I actually taught government. Then I was told I didn't.  Just that simple(in a related twist Turner was told he did).  The details of why are sealed among the corners of my mind but I was  reassigned and not because of anything I did.  It was a result of NCLB language.   As a younger teacher it takes time to build a ...

I admit my attention span is short and I m tired of using the word Occupy.  But I feel as strong as ever about my views on education.  It is in this context that the following video becomes relevant.  Imagine if you will entering a classroom where the teacher is disengaged, irrelevant and unresponsive to student needs.  Then compare that to what ...

Friday night, riding home with two kids in the car looking back on a day well spent.  I'm pretty sure it's not what Ice Cube had in mind when he rapped these lyrics in 1992, but today, ''I got to say it was a good day.'' The best part about teaching doesn't always happen between the bells.  As I drove home from our high school's homecoming ...

Sticking with the current events theme of some recent posts, there continues to be a great deal of conversation about the Occupy Wall Street movement.  More of that in a second. The TU was at the annual ''Making Connections'' conference held by our division at one of our local High Schools. We indeed connected with our fellow educators and  in an ...

As the ''War on Our Schools'' wages on the body blows are starting to take their toll. I try to avoid buying into the idea that someone is out to get us, but my ribs are pretty sore. Almost daily I have a conversation with a colleague whose ribs feel much the same. Certainly I can dismiss some of the concerns as alarmist or just complaining, but ...

Imagine having the power to influence the future.  You could go back in time and undo all the wrongs and make things ''right.'' Essentially that's what every teacher has when they administer the SOL test to their classes.  Of course that would only be if we received the proper feedback after testing.  The social studies EOC resports are less than ...

The embedded video above comes from NBC 29. It first appeared on June 7,2010. The video relates to the move from a seven to eight period academic schedule for students in Albemarle County High Schools. Woody Guthrie once said, ''Any fool can make something complicated. It takes a genius to make it simple.'' To say our division (at least the ...

Despite internet reports we here at TU have yet to endorse Donald Trump or any other candidate for that matter. We might support those who question current trends in reform.  But we try our best to avoid overt political involvement.  Accordingly we frown on those who criticize or attack for personal or political gain. Keeping this effort in ...