Barth Keck, an English teacher and assistant football coach, who also teaches courses in journalism and media literacy at Haddam-Killingworth High School, wrote an interesting piece for CT News Junkie, “It Doesn’t Take Captain Obvious to Identify A Stacked Deck.” In the story, Keck uses the fictitious “Captain Obvious” to counter the claims made by…
DetailsIndividually, teachers are champions of quality education. But sometimes the challenge can be to help them see how much more they can accomplish collectively—rather than individually— to accomplish their goals. It’s a challenge that teacher Marcia Ferreira does not take lightly. In fact, she and others on the East Hartford Education Association (EHEA) leadership team…
DetailsA teacher is one of the most trusted people in his/her community, according to public opinion polls. So, it stands to reason, when groups of teachers band together to organize on critical issues, they can make a powerful difference. Local union after local union—affiliates of CEA—have countless examples of what’s been accomplished when teachers work…
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Jonathan Kozol’s speech this morning at the CEA Summer Leadership Conference hit a nerve with teachers when he said, “Using test scores to judge teachers is an absolute atrocity, even as one element of a teacher’s evaluation, it’s unfair to schools, teachers, and young children.” Ashley Porter, an animal science teacher in Region 1, said…
DetailsFormer Yale educator Se-Woong Koo has a great deal to say about public education in South Korea in today’s New York Times. While students in that nation top the rankings on international tests, they do so at a great cost. Se-Woong Koo says the students pay a stiff price in health and happiness, so much…
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Move over Cat in the Hat, there are four new books from Dr. Seuss about to hit store shelves. We’re all familiar with beloved children’s author Theodor (Dr. Seuss) Geisel’s classic stories The Cat and the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham, Hop on Pop, and The Lorax, but have you heard of Horton and the…
DetailsThe Common Core always seems to be making headlines. But the all-important issue of teacher training in connection with the core too often gets lost. So, it was heartening to see this issue on the cover of the Sunday New York Times magazine. The magazine article is about professional development for educators teaching the new…
DetailsTwo recent stories, including Gina Barreca’s column, “We’re Teaching to the Test—Not Students’ Futures,” in The Hartford Courant and Philip Kovacs blog post, “An Open Letter to My Son’s Kindergarten Teacher,” clearly convey what teachers and parents have been saying about the effects of high-stakes testing on children. The articles raise questions about the problems…
DetailsWant to spend less at the pump? How you drive, where you buy gas, and how you pay can help you fuel up on savings. If you’re one of the millions of Americans who will be taking a road trip this summer, you’ll likely feel a big pinch at the pump, as prices have climbed…
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Champions for students in need It was a hot and humid day, and the meteorologists called for heavy rain and thunderstorms in the early afternoon. But thankfully, the bad weather held off just long enough for 200 golfers to finish their rounds at the 20th annual Connecticut Education Foundation’s (CEF) Hands Across the Green Golf…
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