For Teachers
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NEWS FROM THE NOTEBOOK
Politics swirl around efforts to revise charter law
by Sarah Peterson
In the wake of reports of questionable financial practices in more than a dozen Philadelphia charter schools, state legislators are considering how or whether to overhaul the 13-year-old charter school law to strengthen oversight, tighten accountability, and increase transparency.
The Notebook * Summer 2010
NEWS FROM THE NATION AND REGION
Whose Classroom Is This, Anyway?
by Laura Varlas
How can teachers help develop both responsible and response-able democratic citizens? For 11th and 12th grade business teacher Bijal Damani, it started with asking, "Whose classroom is this, anyway?"
ASCD * August 11, 2010
Is John Smith the worst teacher in Los Angeles?
by Linda Perlstein
I feel really bad for John Smith. Smith was the subject of an extraordinary Los Angeles Times article Saturday, the first piece of a big database project that uses student test score data to rate teacher effectiveness. Smith, according to the Times, was one of the least effective elementary school teachers in LAUSD.
The Educated Reporter * August 16, 2010
Stories of interest to teachers
More like this
Students speak out on teacher-student conflict
Posted in Winter 2009 Edition | Permalink
Recently the Notebook met with high school students to talk about the reasons for conflict between teachers and students and strategies for improving these relationships. Thirteen students from six different schools participated. Some teachers also joined the discussion. Thanks to the Philadelphia Student Union, Youth United for Change, and the Teacher Action Group for their assistance.
Comments (5)
Do we need a longer school day?
Submitted by Ron Whitehorne on Wed, 09/23/2009 - 10:48 | Permalink
From President Obama to Arlene Ackerman, the the call for a longer school day has been raised as a component of school reform. It’s an issue in contract negotiations here and across the country.
I don’t know about you, but when that last bell rings my tank is pretty much empty. And my 8th graders, who suffered from post-lunch attention deficit syndrome, weren’t exactly in high learning mode either. Still, given the clear needs of so many of our students, I’m open to any argument that promises to improve student learning.
Comments (59)
Selecting a high school: Not a level playing field
by Shani Adia Evans and Dale Mezzacappa Posted in Fall Guide 2009 Edition | Permalink
With the recent creation of many new, themed high schools and the continuing growth of the charter school movement, students in Philadelphia have more public high school options than ever.
But more options haven’t meant that most students are getting into the schools they prefer, or that the available choices meet students’ needs.
Comments (24)
Committees at work on plans to overhaul 25 troubled schools
by Wendy Harris Posted in Fall 2009 Edition | Permalink
The School District has stepped up its work around its much-debated Renaissance Schools plan – an initiative to transform chronically failing schools – appointing a 50-member panel to help drive the process.
Dubbed the Renaissance Schools Advisory Board, the group has three subcommittees consisting of educators, business and community leaders, District staff, parents, faith-based representatives, and youth advocates.
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No Easy Road, Part 3
by Benjamin Herold Posted in Fall 2009 Edition | Permalink
Ninth grade didn’t finish the way Corey White had hoped.
The high-achieving teen’s final grades at Academy at Palumbo High School included Cs in English and biology.
Concerned, Corey’s mother and great-grandparents moved him out of their Southwest Philadelphia home and in with his grandparents.
It’s the reverse of the move that White’s mother, now 28, made at his age.
“I had Corey when I was 13,” says Robin White, who dropped out of Thomas Middle School in 8th grade.
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District, with fits and starts, inches toward teacher equity
by Paul Socolar Posted in Summer 2009 Edition | Permalink
The summer of 2002 was a low point in Philadelphia’s ongoing struggle to put effective teachers in the classroom.
The hiring crisis was so severe that nearly half the teacher vacancies were being filled by individuals with emergency certifications. In many cases, they were hired despite weak academic backgrounds, failure to pass licensing exams, and lack of classroom experience.
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Where have all the teachers of color gone?
by Wendy Harris Posted in Summer 2009 Edition | Permalink
It's 11:05 a.m. and 28 students at Fulton Elementary School in Germantown quietly file into Christopher Wright's 6th grade math class. After taking their seats, they dive into their daily series of equations on the blackboard. After making his way around the room checking each student's progress, he asks for the answers. Hands shoot up, and Wright dashes back to the blackboard.
One girl points out a mistake in one of the problems. "That number should be negative, instead of positive," she said with confidence.
Comments (1)
Does reforming high schools require starting with a new staff?
Submitted by Eric Braxton on Mon, 03/30/2009 - 15:20 Posted in High schools | Permalink
As I have said in nearly all of my posts, I am of the opinion that our neighborhood high schools need a major transformation, not just some small reforms.
The culture and climate in these schools is just not conducive to learning. Many people argue that creating this new culture requires replacing either all or some of the teachers in the building with a fresh staff that is on board with the school’s mission.
Comments (13)
FEATURED LINK
- The School Collective
A new tool to help teachers store, organize, and share materials.
ORGANIZATIONS OF INTEREST
- Philadelphia Federation of Teachers
Represents more than 16,000 women and men working in Philadelphia public schools today. This group includes teachers, librarians, school nurses, counselors, psychologists and social workers, secretaries, paraprofessionals, and classroom assistants. - American Federation of Teachers
The American Federation of Teachers has more than 3,000 local affiliates, including the PFT, 43 state affiliates and more than 1.4 million members. Founded in 1916 to represent the economic, social and professional interests of classroom teachers, it is an affiliated international union of the AFL-CIO. - The Pennsylvania State Education Association
Represents the labor, policy, and professional interests of more than 187,000 public school teachers and education support professionals, staff in state higher education institutions, nurses in health care facilities, retired educators, and college students preparing to become teachers - National Education Association
The nation's largest professional employee organization, it is committed to advancing the cause of public education. NEA has 3.2 million members who work at every level of education-from pre-school to university graduate programs, and has affiliate organizations in every state, including the PSEA, and in more than 14,000 communities across the United States. - Philadelphia Writing Project
Located at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education, this organization works to enhance the teaching of writing as a critical tool for learning in all Philadelphia schools. - Need in Deed
Need in Deed’s mission has been to prepare youth for civic responsibility and service to others, enabling young people to become capable, contributing members of their community by using the My Voice service-learning framework in public schools. - Teachers Learning Cooperative
The Philadelphia Teachers' Learning Cooperative (PTLC) TeacherSPACE is a teacher center welcoming teachers and parents in Philadelphia to network, share ideas, and collect resources in a creative environment. PTLC is committed to developing our teaching and inviting others to share resources in order to support Philadelphia students’ creative voices, academic engagement, and emerging leadership. - Education Policy and Leadership Center
Focuses on education policy, education leadership, and education advocacy. - Fair Test: National Center for Fair and Open Testing
Advances quality education and equal opportunity by promoting fair, open, valid and educationally beneficial evaluations of students, teachers and schools. Also works to end the misuse and flaws of testing practices that impede those goals. - U.S. Department of Education
This extensive site includes resources and data on student achievement and on federal efforts to ensure equal access to high-quality education.
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
- Teach for America
The national corps of recent college graduates and professionals of all academic majors and career interests who commit two years to teach in urban and rural public schools. - Math for America
Similar to Teach for America, Math for America recruits non-teachers, specifically non-teachers with a background in math-related disciplines. They also have a fellowship program for current public high school math teachers. - Teacher Jobs
Search available teaching jobs throughout the country. Upload your resume and review a list of sample schools the site has worked with in the past. - More Teaching Jobs
Prospective teachers can search teacher job openings and schools can post positions and conduct candidate searches.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES
- Educators Professional Development
A worldwide database of professional development opportunities for educators. - Continuing Education through U.S. Department of Education
Learn about a variety of professional development options, including instruction on how teachers can create a safe and drug-free classroom. - Knowledge Delivery Systems
Provides online professional development courses for K-12 teachers to earn continuing education (CEUs), in-service, or graduate credit. Courses can be applied towards state license re-certification, salary increase, and career advancement.
OTHER TEACHER RESOURCES
- Edutopia
A publication that offers teachers information about integrated studies, project-based learning, teacher development, and other educational topics. - Rethinking Schools
A magazine that covers a variety of educational topics of interest to teachers and other educators. - Teaching for Change
Provides teachers and parents with various tool to transform schools into centers of justice where students learn to read, write and change the world. Some of these tools include professional development workshops and publications. - Teachers Learning Cooperative/TeacherSPACE blog
The Philadelphia Teachers' Learning Cooperative (PTLC) TeacherSPACE is a teacher center welcoming teachers and parents in Philadelphia to network, share ideas, and collect resources in a creative environment. - Philadelphia Museum of Art education pages
The Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Wachovia Education Resource Center provide a wide range of free services and materials for Philadelphia teachers and their students that help make learning come to life! Learn more about class visits and videoconferencing lessons for Pre-K - 12th grade, teacher workshops, and teacher resources. - Teaching Tolerance
A project of the Southern Poverty Law Center, this organization isdedicated to reducing prejudice, improving inter-group relations and supporting equitable school experiences for the nation's children. - PA Education Voters
A non-profit organization that promotes a pro public education agenda with elected leaders, legislators and the public by lobbying for laws that further a sound education policy. - Education for Liberation Network
A national coalition of teachers, community activists, researchers, youth and parents who help to improve the practice of a liberatory education. - Pennsylvania Department of Education Academic Achievement Report: 2007-2008
Here you will find Philadelphia School District and school reports that contain information about Adequate Yearly Progress targets, last year’s results and next year’s targets, and a discussion of results for parents and educators. - Pockets of Potential: Using Mobile Technologies to Promote Children's Learning
A 52-page document that provides information about the use of children’s cell phones and other hand-held devices in an effort to support learning in and outside of school. - The New York Times Learning Network
A mix of activities for students, parents, and teachers that promote education. Learn about using the New York Times as a teaching tool in your classroom. Get free lesson plans for grades 6-12. - Philadelphia Inquirer’s Report Card on Schools
School-by-school information from the Inquirer’s Report Card on the schools. - School Data Direct
An online service providing comprehensive education data as well as analytic tools. - School District Office of Accountability, Assessment and Intervention
Monitors and reports on the performance of schools and district support functions. Reports student achievement and demographic data to multiple audiences such as central offices, schools and regions, the State and federal governments, and the public. Also collaborates with the District's Office of Information Technology and outside vendors in the design and maintenance of district data systems.
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Renaissance Schools discussion
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School District of Philadelphia Hiring Freeze on New EmployeesKYW reported last week that
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School District of Philadelphia Hiring Freeze on New EmployeesI believe the freeze has been
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School District of Philadelphia Hiring Freeze on New EmployeesNOYCE scholarship recipients
Urban School NewsFrom Catalyst: Stories from other cities
- In the News: CPS approves settlement; Mayor Daley's 15 years of school reform
- Hard work starts at Chicago high school turnarounds
- Merit pay for teachers: One program ending, another in the works
- In the News: Changes in store for CPS students; teachers leading schools
- Merit pay for Chicago teachers: one program ending, another in the works
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