Nancy E. Bailey's Blog, page 20
November 22, 2020
A Role That Needs More Attention and Support: The Principalship
By Paul Bonner Not too long ago, I walked up to a register in a grocery store. The clerk noticed that I had a school district ID and asked, “Are you a teacher?” I replied, “I’m a principal.” She looked at me, smiled, and said sincerely, “I never knew what my principal did.” The school […]
November 20, 2020
Tim Shriver as Education Secretary? Fighting for School Control
Tim Shriver is supposedly being vetted to be education secretary, a surprise for those waiting to hear of a Jahana, a Julian, a Randi, Lily, or another educator with classroom experience getting the post. There seems to be a fight for school control between the teachers and the school reformers. DFER (Democrats for Education Reform) […]
November 15, 2020
Business Terms Used to Privatize Public Schools
Privatizing public schools involves changing school words to reflect a business-like environment. There’s nothing wrong with these words in general, but when applied to schools, they change the nature of schooling and the way we look at teachers and students. Business-like terms used with schools increased during the 1980s and 1990s. They are so frequent […]
November 10, 2020
Education Unity? Save Democratic Public Schools!
Congratulations to President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris! How refreshing to hear a President speak of uniting the country and saving America’s democratic institutions. One of the largest institutions is the public school system, run by local school boards, supported by the states, with oversight and administration by the federal government. President Biden […]
November 7, 2020
Covid-19 Surges Worldwide While Schools Stay Open
Coronavirus cases are surging in this country and worldwide, yet in many places, schools remain open. Why? Whether or not to send students to school has been a continuous balancing act. Children miss out if they stay home. Their health, education, and safety could be in jeopardy. But they can also get sick by going […]
November 2, 2020
PDK Gallup Polls and The Election: The Nation Needs Great Teachers!
If V.P. Joe Biden is elected, there will be a chance for public education to survive and teachers to get the support they need to serve America’s children. Reelect President Trump, and chances are public schools may end. Teachers who have been prepared to teach may leave the field for good. Gallup Polls show how […]
October 31, 2020
Alien School Invasion and Reformers With Erased Memories
They don’t recall the alien invasion, or recognize those who had part in it. The school reformers and their friends condemn public schools, mortified by senior NAEP scores (how could those teachers not teach reading?). They’ve forgotten the rotten changes to remake public schools. Parents once liked their public schools, and few were interested in […]
October 28, 2020
Kindergarten Pandemic Learning Fears Should Not Be Tied to Screen Time and Rigid Drilling
Kindergartners and their parents and teachers struggle with the pandemic. When the focus is on problems with children learning online, whether a child will succeed, it might help to revisit what’s developmentally appropriate for a kindergartner. Many reports are raising concern about learning loss in kindergarten. “What Kindergarten Struggles Could Mean for a Child’s Later […]
October 17, 2020
Closing University Education Schools: A Bad Omen
The University of South Florida (USF) has announced the end of their education school due to a $36.7 million university budget cut. The change will save $6.8 million over two years. They’re using the coronavirus as the reason at a time when teachers are struggling to teach students safely. This loss is a bad omen […]
October 14, 2020
Selling Charter School Class Size as “Innovative Medical Experimentation” During Covid-19
Efforts to destroy public schooling in America have not disappeared during the pandemic. While Education Secretary Betsy DeVos displays her hatred for public education, especially with Fairfax County public school teachers, DC Charter Schools are advertising innovations during the pandemic. They’re promoting smaller class sizes as innovative medical experimentation. Their innovations, however, are not ingenious. […]
