schools

Dimes for Dogs: Making the World a Better Place

By Nancy Flanagan

01/21/2010

Last Chance Animal Rescue needs your help. Last Chance Rescue is a non-profit organization committed to saving the lives of animals that otherwise would be destroyed. The website offers multiple ways to help--a great organization, a great cause--or, better yet, you can donate through Dimes for Dogs, February 8-19, at Lakes Elementary School in Hartland.

animal rescue, schools

Fault Lines: Let's Blame the Schools!

By Nancy Flanagan

11/04/2009

I've seen everything from attention deficit disorder to childhood obesity blamed on the schools, but this one tears it--DeWayne Wickham's column in USA Today: Gang rape exposes another sign of a failing school.

You've probably heard the horrifying details: a 15-year old California girl gang-raped by 10 boys in a dark corner of school property, during a school homecoming dance, while as many as 20 onlookers watched, snapping pictures with their cell phones.

safety, schools, student learning

Greedy Teachers, Part III: Six Ideas that Schools Find Controversial

By Nancy Flanagan

10/28/2009

Six more strategies--plus a bonus, #13. And an invitation to post your own suggestion for saving money or saving public education. These are a little more controversial...

#7) The well-known single salary schedule for teachers has to go. Stop paying people for collecting graduate credits and remaining in the same job for decades. Start looking for new ways to use and reward the diverse skills and talents of teachers.

education funding, schools, teachers

Learn or We'll Hurt You

By Nancy Flanagan

10/16/2009

I belong to the Teacher Leaders Network, a national online community of teachers who like talking about Big Ideas in Education--stuff with a little more substance than "who has lunch duty today?"

education, learning, schools, teachers

Almost Famous

By Nancy Flanagan

10/03/2009

I once had the good fortune to be—temporarily—a Famous Teacher. It was long ago, but I did lots of Famous Teacher interviews, where the reporter always asked a question like “Have any of your students become famous?”

Because (she writes, sardonically) surely that’s what most teachers strive for: a famous former student. Makes you wonder what Ted Kaczynski’s 9th grade English Composition teacher thought about his oh-so-famous essay—would she have marked him down for not adequately supporting his theses? Deducted points for rambling? Praised his choice of vocabulary?

Music, schools, teacher

We Are All Livingston

By Nancy Flanagan

10/01/2009