This is one of the many examples of why our educational system is in peril…not just trouble. Let’s say you’re working for a public school district as a “specials” teacher – that is, art, music, library, phys ed, or perhaps you’re a school counselor, and, as a member of the teacher’s union, you’ve been working…

The financial management company SmartAsset releases an annual study of the best places to be a teacher in the US. Factors such as school quality, culture, affordability, and salary levels all come into play for teachers who have the luxury of deciding on the best place to live.  For 2018, the best place was my hometown,…

Several years ago, there was a blog titled Advanced Life Skills (which is no longer accessible).  In one of its article, the concept of approval was discussed, and this particular phrase resonated with me: There are certain core needs shared by every person on the planet. Some of these needs are physical such as food,…

As educators, we know what IQ is – Intelligence Quotient.  The higher the number, the more capacity one has for learning about “stuff.” But, how can some people with lower IQs be more successful that people with higher IQs?  The answer, as is posited today, can be found in EQ – Emotional Intelligence. Emotional Intelligence,…

Here’s a great article on traits that make a great school leader – http://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/what-makes-a-great-principal-an-audio-slide-show/ But in working with faith-based schools, I wonder how one can earn the title “great principal” if their school’s enrollment has been slowly shrinking over the past decade. Then, if a school closes, those principals are then hired to fill other…

It seems that everyone today is “working hard.”  In the marketplace – “We’re working hard to serve you better.”  In management – “With hard work, anything is possible.”  In education – “Our first graders are working hard this year to learn how to add numbers.” Weren’t computers supposed to make our lives easier?  Why are…

So many articles on are being published today on what’s wrong with our educational system. References are made to common core, standardized testing and classrooms that were designed when the factory was the identified workplace as culprits. Administration is built on a military model of top-down direction, leadership and supervision, because the military is where…

A friend who used to sit on the State Board of Education in Ohio shared an article on Facebook.com a few years ago as was published on Public Education Partners.  Check it out at https://publiceducationpartners.org/2016/06/07/five-reasons-education-system-part-class-war/ It would be easy to categorize this article in light of the controversies which have been the focus of broadcast…

Every year, our high schools pay homage to the graduating seniors.  I think every valedictorian includes the line, “Graduation isn’t the end; it’s just the beginning of the next step of our journey,” in the their perfunctory speech at the graduation ceremony. It’s been uttered at the four high school graduations I was privileged to…

Perhaps your 25-26 school year is already underway. Perhaps you’re preparing to welcome students back to the classroom. Either way, it’s an incredibly busy time of the year, with lots to do. And I’ll bet your “Do” list is getting longer and longer. It might be so long that you have several “Do” lists, or…