Several years ago, I was introduced to classical education and immediately fell in love with it. I was so impressed with all that the students were capable of, from drawing maps from memory and reciting the names of all the presidents, to engaging in civic dialogue with one another. I began to research the model, […]
School Choice Is a Great Thing. Now, Parents Need Better Choices — and More of Them
(This post originally appeared on The 74) When the call came in two weeks ago, I thought it might be another spammer. I didn’t recognize the number, but I answered anyway. “Hello, is this Mr. Wright?” “Yes, this is Lane.” “Hi. I’m calling from the School of Arts and Sciences at the Centre location. I’m […]
Relententlessly Mobilizing Parents- Keri Rodrigues
Keri Rodrigues is Mom-In-Chief of Massachusetts Parents United, a parent advocacy group fighting for high-quality education, safer neighborhoods and stable homes. When we think about parent engagement, Keri isn’t just talking about it, she’s doing it. This mother of 3 boys is fed up with being left out of decisions made about her kids, and […]
No Parents, No Progress
Just as parents should be involved in classrooms, so should we be involved when those doors have to close. In a recent panel discussion on school choice in D.C., Robin Lake describes leaving parents out of the conversation of school choice as an “huge unnecessary liability.” I completely agree, but her comment still left me […]
RealTalk From EdTalk 2017- Focused On Every Single Learner
EdTalk 2017 took place on Saturday morning. This is where Broward Schools reports out to the community about its performance in the past year, where the district is headed and why. And we, the education consumers, are asked for feedback. This year’s event was at Hollywood Hills High School, rather than the Convention Center. The […]
Our Sons Rarely See Faces Like Theirs Leading The Classroom
Men have always been rare in the classroom. Let’s face it, teaching is a female dominated field. But that’s changing because of educators like Shamar Knight. Only 2 percent of educators in the United States are Black men. That means that millions of Americans have never had a Black male teacher. That includes teachers, counselors, […]
Superhero Cape Not Included: Dealing With Stress As A Special Needs Parent
by Basilisa Perkins, mother of 2 and public health educator in Broward County, FL. Advocate for her girls and, at times, homeschool teacher to her daughter with special needs. The stress level of parents of kids with special needs is comparable to that of a combat veteran. Though stress is a normal part of “adulting,” the demands […]
When It Storms On Education: Diary Of A Parent
The Facebook feed of our very own Basilisa Perkins will serve as the final entry in this series. Even as a parent of 2, including a child with special needs, our simple experiences share the same heart. Monday, September 4th Category 4 hurricane coming our way. Really trying to stay chill, but it’s not working […]
Irma and Real Life Storms
Florida Pledges To Track All Kids In Bottom 25%; Not Everyone Agrees.
I kinda love the idea that Florida says “Yea, we are going to track the progress of students of color, students with disabilities and those from low income households. But that’s not all… We wanted to track ANY kid in the bottom 25%.” Thanks for bringing that to light in your latest piece in the […]