Andrew Ordover's Blog: Scenes from a Broken Hand, page 15
December 23, 2014
Which Side Are You On?
One of the saddest things I’ve seen during the recent horrors
in Ferguson, Staten Island, and Brooklyn has been the speed with which people have
been taking sides and accusing whoever disagrees with them of destroying
America. Saner voices try to remind us that there are no sides—that we’re all
in this together, and that we just need to understand each other and work
things out. But the more
in Ferguson, Staten Island, and Brooklyn has been the speed with which people have
been taking sides and accusing whoever disagrees with them of destroying
America. Saner voices try to remind us that there are no sides—that we’re all
in this together, and that we just need to understand each other and work
things out. But the more
December 5, 2014
Every System is Perfect
(originally published at www.catapultlearning.com)
"A system cannot
fail those it was never meant to protect." W.E.B. Du Bois
They say the political system in our country is broken
because it produces nothing but partisan bickering and legislative gridlock.
They say our tax system is broken because it demands too much (or too little) from
Group X and spends too much (or too little
"A system cannot
fail those it was never meant to protect." W.E.B. Du Bois
They say the political system in our country is broken
because it produces nothing but partisan bickering and legislative gridlock.
They say our tax system is broken because it demands too much (or too little) from
Group X and spends too much (or too little
November 19, 2014
Getting Off Autopilot: Ours is Definitely to Reason Why
(originally published at www.catapultlearning.com)
A survey of helpful websites tells me that the opening
sentence of a paper should be “attention grabbing” to “pique the interest of
readers.” It also tells me that it’s my “big chance to be clever.” Sadly, I’m
not feeling very clever today, so I’m going to rely on the cleverness of someone
who came long before me.
As Socrates said,
A survey of helpful websites tells me that the opening
sentence of a paper should be “attention grabbing” to “pique the interest of
readers.” It also tells me that it’s my “big chance to be clever.” Sadly, I’m
not feeling very clever today, so I’m going to rely on the cleverness of someone
who came long before me.
As Socrates said,
September 17, 2014
Accountability for Thee, But Not For Me
(originally published at www.catapultlearning.com)
When I lived in Arizona, there was a controversial program wherein
cameras were posted on key roadways to catch people speeding. I got caught doing 50 MPH in a 40 MPH zone,
and had to attend an online driving school to clear my record. I was mightily
annoyed, because as far as I was concerned, I was driving safely. As it turned
out, I wasn’t
When I lived in Arizona, there was a controversial program wherein
cameras were posted on key roadways to catch people speeding. I got caught doing 50 MPH in a 40 MPH zone,
and had to attend an online driving school to clear my record. I was mightily
annoyed, because as far as I was concerned, I was driving safely. As it turned
out, I wasn’t
July 24, 2014
In Defense of Poetry…or: Metaphors Be With You
(originally published at www.catapultlearning.com)
We’ve
seen countless news stories and blog posts about the importance of improving
science and mathematics instruction in our country. We’ve argued about the
emphasis within the Common Core State Standards on complex, informational text.
Here at Catapult Learning, we’ve built professional development programs to
help teachers enhance literacy
We’ve
seen countless news stories and blog posts about the importance of improving
science and mathematics instruction in our country. We’ve argued about the
emphasis within the Common Core State Standards on complex, informational text.
Here at Catapult Learning, we’ve built professional development programs to
help teachers enhance literacy
June 6, 2014
Allowing Ourselves to Learn
(originally published at www.catapultlearning.com)
Among trial lawyers, it’s considered gospel that you should never ask a
question that you don’t already know the answer to. When you have a witness on
the stand in front of a jury, you don’t want any surprises.
In the classroom, we often behave as though we were trying a case. We
ask students questions to find out what they have
Among trial lawyers, it’s considered gospel that you should never ask a
question that you don’t already know the answer to. When you have a witness on
the stand in front of a jury, you don’t want any surprises.
In the classroom, we often behave as though we were trying a case. We
ask students questions to find out what they have
May 1, 2014
Teaching for Transfer: Take Your Learning Out For a Drive
(originally published at www.catapultlearning.com)
Once upon a time, I worked as a secretary at a New York investment
bank. There were two types of people who seemed to hold that job: Lifers—the
middle-aged women who had been working as secretaries forever; and
Dilettantes—the youngish painters and writers and musicians who needed a
paycheck to support their art. I was one of the
Once upon a time, I worked as a secretary at a New York investment
bank. There were two types of people who seemed to hold that job: Lifers—the
middle-aged women who had been working as secretaries forever; and
Dilettantes—the youngish painters and writers and musicians who needed a
paycheck to support their art. I was one of the
March 3, 2014
A Tale of Two Cabbies: Optimism and Grit in Action
(originally published at www.catapultlearning.com)
Good teachers know how to make use of “teachable moments,”
but all of us could probably do a better job of acting on “learnable moments.”
I had two such moments recently—and, amazingly, I was aware of both of them
while they were happening.
The morning had been crazy—schools had been delayed for two
hours because of freezing rain, which
Good teachers know how to make use of “teachable moments,”
but all of us could probably do a better job of acting on “learnable moments.”
I had two such moments recently—and, amazingly, I was aware of both of them
while they were happening.
The morning had been crazy—schools had been delayed for two
hours because of freezing rain, which
February 10, 2014
Back-Mapping from Success: What I Wish I Had Known
(originally published at www.catapultlearning.com)
My wife and I were talking to one of her cousins over the
holidays—a gangly, lanky kid of 20 who has floundered and flopped through
schools with little purpose or success, but who is trying to tackle college in
small bites. He took two classes last semester and failed both. Everyone was
frustrated with him. Two classes! That’s all you had!
My wife and I were talking to one of her cousins over the
holidays—a gangly, lanky kid of 20 who has floundered and flopped through
schools with little purpose or success, but who is trying to tackle college in
small bites. He took two classes last semester and failed both. Everyone was
frustrated with him. Two classes! That’s all you had!
December 13, 2013
Common Core State Standards: Keys for Implementation Success #3
(Originally posted at www.catapultlearning.com)
The anxiety (and sometimes hysteria) generated by the Common
Core State Standards has been very depressing for those of us who believe in
the usefulness of the standards and their potential for improving teaching and
learning across the country. For every blog post or article describing a good teaching
strategy or sharing a video of classroom
The anxiety (and sometimes hysteria) generated by the Common
Core State Standards has been very depressing for those of us who believe in
the usefulness of the standards and their potential for improving teaching and
learning across the country. For every blog post or article describing a good teaching
strategy or sharing a video of classroom
Scenes from a Broken Hand
Thoughts on teaching, writing, living, loving, and whatever else comes to mind
- Andrew Ordover's profile
- 44 followers
