The Millennials

Why is knowing about The Millennials important?  After all, the children in school today are digital natives, right?  They’re the next generation, and that’s who we’re educating. Almost right. If you look into any of the research regarding the generations, you’ll see a comparison of traits, and the traits of generations are similar across all…

Listen, My Children, and You Shall Hear…

…hey, I said listen…listen to me! (With apologies to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow). And then, the screaming starts. There are some memes out there today that propose that yelling is the new spanking, and one that states, “Don’t yell at your kids, whisper.  It’s much scarier.” In public school classrooms today, it’s not necessarily the pedagogy…

The Evil of Standardized Testing

With all the hype about standardized testing, you may come to the conclusion that it’s just purely evil. After all, we’re all created with individual gifts and talents, and should accommodate learners according to their abilities. Then what’s the goal of standardized testing? Is it to create a benchmark, or is it to assess learning?…

The Painful Saga of Some Faith-Based Schools

Now before you think this is an all “doom and gloom” article regarding faith-based schools, let me say that there are a number of faith-based schools across the country that are doing things “right,” evidenced by their continued growth, vibrant parent community, excellent work atmosphere, healthy support from donors and alumni, and phenomenal students that…

In Change Management, the Key is “How;” In Retooling, the Key is “Why”

In 2009, Simon Sinek published an excellent text titled, “Start With Why.”  The premise is that in our world today, “What” is still emphasized, forcing customers to evaluate features rather than benefits. Prior to 1990, “features” were the reason that consumers made economic decisions.  “Let me show you what this car can do!” “What do…

Is It Still the Public School? Or Is It The Government School?

(Photo credit: NPR) Common core curriculum and stringent standardized testing have become two of the most widely discussed topics in education today (besides masking and other safety issues).  Standardized tests are indeed important, but for pre-assessment evaluation, to see what needs to be done; not for post-learning assessment to see how well students are achieving. …

Cyberschools = Limited Relationships; Charter school = Limited Responsibility

Business consultant, author and speaker Patrick Lencioni has written an excellent book titled, “The Advantage.”  It speaks to what gives a company their “advantage” over their competitors in the marketplace today.  The answer, while it sound simple, is actually quite complicated, and can’t be identified through metrics, strategies, and all that left-brain stuff that most…

Ahmed’s Clock: A Project That Tells Much More Than Time

In 2015, most of the world had heard about Ahmed Mohamed, the 9th grader in Texas who was arrested after bringing a clock to school that, to school administration, looked like it could be an explosive device.  The issue sparked a controversy as was explained in an article in The Washington Post. Some say the…