Teachers have long resisted outsiders who compare public schools to a business model, citing results and products as the most important determining factor for funding and teacher pay scales. This idea discounts and forgets that humans are unpredictable, especially third graders! Current state mandates are pressurizing the classroom and teachers. We are worried about losing […]
My first marketing campaign started on the first day of school. “And Ms. Neely loves loves loves coffee and books.” I found that saying loves three times and quite dramatically increased the likelihood of receiving these lovely items for Christmas, teacher appreciation day or birthday. I have to include a disclaimer here. I don’t know
I felt like I left you hanging after my last post. It’s a struggle to change vocations after 4 years of self- identification. I am sure that some of you would say, “Try changing after 15 or 20 years.” I know that it is self-indulgent for me to write about what is going on in
When you open yourself up to a call to ministry, you expose yourself. Part of the process is realizing and recognizing your weakness, your ill motivations and the way that you’ve hidden those so well from others. You invite others to peer into the very heart of who you are. I’ve heard the argument against
Who are you really? Read More »
I find myself in the uncomfortable position of having to be true to myself in a way that I never have before. Students of all ages are extremely good at deciphering inauthenticity a mile away and I have to admit that I have always looked to them to see if I was being true to my philosophy
Tables Turn, Turn Tables Read More »
Standing on the edge afraid to step off to not look back and leave behind what I know. Standing on the ledge excited to step out to look forward and expand what I know. Standing wedged in between who I am who I will be.
Writing can change the world. It has. It does. This is the line in Amsterdam outside Anne Frank’s house. Why are they here? She told her story.
We don’t ask students to write. We tell them what to write. We don’t ask students to create. We tell them what to make. We don’t ask students to envision. We tell them our vision. We don’t ask students to design. We tell them how to format. We don’t ask students to read. We tell
We don’t ask; we tell Read More »
When I was young, I had a blanket that I took everywhere with me. I use the term blanket loosely. In reality, it was a full length silk nightgown. I called it my night night because I had to have to go night night. Pretty clever, right? My night night and I were inseparable. I
Arne Duncan in today’s Town Hall Twitter Meeting said: When you have a school with that big of a gain, then you either have a shining star that should be replicated or you have to deal with the tough reality that something bad is going on. He was referring to schools that have been caught cheating on
