There has been a lot of research recently, clearly conveying what teachers have been saying about the effects of high-stakes testing on children—about the problems associated with our country’s focus on testing, not teaching. Now a new poll shows that parents want to end high-stakes testing across the country. The 2014 PDK/Gallup Annual Survey on…
DetailsOne day after announcing he wouldn’t seek a second term, State Education Commissioner Stefan Pryor defended his record, acknowledging there have been necessary revisions and much anxiety about his sweeping education changes. Pryor told educators at the annual back-to-school meeting, “Let’s not settle for good enough when true excellence is needed. You are on the…
DetailsConnecticut Education Commissioner Stefan Pryor announced today that he is resigning. In a press release from the governor’s office, Pryor said he will not serve a second term and is actively seeking new professional opportunities. CEA President Sheila Cohen today wished state Commissioner of Education Stefan Pryor well in his prospective endeavors, and said “While…
DetailsState Treasurer Denise Nappier recently announced that the State Teachers’ Retirement Fund realized an investment return of 15.67 percent. That exceeded the actuarial investment assumption of 8.5 percent. Nappier also noted that the Connecticut Retirement Plans and Trust Funds, which includes the State Employees’ Retirement System, Teachers’ Retirement Fund, and 13 other funds, added $4.15…
DetailsTeachers excel at building relationships and acting as champions for kids. Both are irreplaceable when it comes to quality teaching and learning–a fact that corporate reformers keep ignoring. “Teaching is not a business” is a must-read commentary this Sunday morning.
DetailsTeachers Kristen Cardona of Killingworth and Marina Outwater of Prospect recently returned from Oaxaca, Mexico, where they participated in a month-long summer institute of learning for educators. The two Connecticut teachers were among 30 educators selected nationwide to participate in the National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Institute for School Teachers to learn more about Mesoamerican…
DetailsBarth 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…
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