Nancy E. Bailey's Blog, page 43
January 18, 2018
Elephant in the Room: It’s the Tech Takeover, NOT Common Core
We are in danger of losing public schools and it’s all about “disruption” and technology. The federal government is leading the way. Common Core State Standards were unproven and costly. I hate what Common Core did to children. Common Core and other school problems are still worth discussing. But technology and its overwhelming impact on […]
January 13, 2018
Teach Cursive Writing! Why It’s Important for Children Including Those with Dyslexia
Cursive writing is important for many reasons, and its loss in America’s classrooms should raise concerns. Cursive not only differs from print in the way it looks, it connects letters to words in a meaningful and productive way. It has been shown to assist children with reading difficulties like dyslexia. All students benefit by learning […]
January 9, 2018
Liking Those We Don’t Like: The Dissonance Involved with Supporting Public Schools
Most teachers see the good in everyone. They go into teaching because they care about children, and they take what happens in life personally. They are usually defiantly protective of their turf. Many years ago, I started out disliking the late Benjamin O. Canada, who was superintendent of Atlanta and one of the first school leaders […]
January 6, 2018
Missing an S for Science in the STEM Frenzy
In the midst of the hype about STEM, what happened to science in public schools? Two recent reports in Education Week bemoan the stunning loss of both chemistry and physics in high schools across the country. Three out of five secondary schools don’t offer chemistry! When they do, there’s disparity. Poor African Americans and Hispanic […]
January 1, 2018
101 (And MORE) Wishes For Students in 2018—In 5 Words or Less
Provide children plenty of recess. Pay attention to child development. Cherish play for children. Encourage teens to socialize. Lower class sizes. Bring back the arts. Provide all students art instruction. Give students credentialed art teachers. Let children dance. Sing-along with students. Teach students to play instruments. Display student art in schools. Bring back school plays. […]
101 Wishes For Students in 2018—In 5 Words or Less
Provide children plenty of recess. Pay attention to child development. Cherish play for children. Encourage teens to socialize. Lower class sizes. Bring back the arts. Provide all students art instruction. Give students credentialed art teachers. Let children dance. Sing-along with students. Teach students to play instruments. Display student art in schools. Bring back school plays. […]
December 30, 2017
The “Education Revolution”=Chaos!
The Education Revolution—we hear these words a lot lately referring to public schools. Public schools have always incorporated changes to the curriculum. Some have worked and some have not. But the overhaul to make technology-driven charter schools is unproven and drastic. Here’s a list of Silicon Schools. They are charter schools. Groups like the Relay […]
December 22, 2017
The Best Gift for Children: Saying NO to Summit Online Learning
During this holiday and Christmas season, salute the fine parents of Cheshire, Connecticut who said NO to Summit online learning! Theresa Commune said her 11-year-old son just wanted more attention from teachers than he was getting. “They need teachers to get them to love learning at this stage,” she said. Especially great is that parent […]
December 20, 2017
Merry Christmas, Betsy DeVos!
Betsy DeVos seems to believe she is doing God’s work when it comes to education in America. So, I thought this Christmas I would gather some of my favorite Bible verses for her to mull over. He is the reason for the season after all. Merry Christmas, Betsy DeVos! The New Republican Tax Bill and […]
December 15, 2017
Robots for Students with Autism vs. Real Therapists and Teachers
Helping a child on the autistic spectrum with communication is important. A new trend appears to be the use of robots for social instruction. But what are the ethical concerns when it comes to using robots with our most vulnerable students? Will robots take the place of teachers and therapists? It is important to note […]
