Tortoise was an admired member of the community. A strong, beautifully polished, and ornate shell provided protection from the elements and those who would do harm. Powerfully muscled legs -- thick as tree trunks -- allowed Tortoise to toil tirelessly and overcome obstacles. Beneath the shell beat an empathetic heart. All of the animals were … Continue reading An Education Policy Parable
Category: Education
5 Ways to Finish Strong
Today is the final day of our spring break. I am cautiously optimistic about the upcoming quarter and the end of our school year. With regard to the pandemic, we may not be out of the woods yet, but it appears that we are on a path that will lead us there. Case numbers are … Continue reading 5 Ways to Finish Strong
Thoughts on “Learning Loss”
Four Peaks - cc photo j.s. delp In Kansas, on warm summer evenings, the fireflies come out and a game of chase begins. Short bursts of luminescence draw a child's attention, but by the time they arrive at the location, the firefly (and it's tell-tale flash) are typically gone. Another flash. More chasing. Same results. … Continue reading Thoughts on “Learning Loss”
The Most Valuable Lessons
Saint Maria With regard to education, perhaps the most critical error I hear people make -- school administrators, teachers, students, parents, the general public, and politicians (especially politicians) -- is the acceptance of a definition of learning that is far too narrow. In many cases, learning is somehow limited to an association with "school" (which … Continue reading The Most Valuable Lessons
Summer School Reimagined (if we have to do it)
Right now, the world of education seems to be dominated by concerns about student "learning loss." I expressed my opinion on this in a previous post -- Our Kids Will be Okay. I'm not going to imply that there aren't legitimate concerns about student learning during the pandemic, but education, like everything else in the … Continue reading Summer School Reimagined (if we have to do it)
The Storms are Getting Tired
Rain on the Horizon: Pacific Beach, CA - cc photo by J. Delp It is a beautiful January day in Arizona. 74 degrees. The type of day where you can sit on the patio and almost forget the turbulence of the world around us. Almost. My mood today, and this week, has been optimistic. In … Continue reading The Storms are Getting Tired
Finding Focus
Image Credit: Carl Richards / Behavior Gap Over the years, I have become pretty good at giving sound advice to people who are worried. Ironically, it isn't because I have it "figured out" it is because I am an expert worrier -- routinely haunted by anxiety. If you want help turning a molehill into a … Continue reading Finding Focus
Our Kids Will Be Okay
Sunset Through Creosote - cc photo by J. Delp We all know that relationships matter in education. Wait. We all know they matter, right? I mean they really make a difference. As in, almost anything you do can be a success with a meaningful relationship, or a miserable failure without one. Relationships are the conduit … Continue reading Our Kids Will Be Okay
Saints and Demons: Teaching in the Age of COVID
Photo by CDC on Pexels.com Years ago, I was a science teacher. One weekend I was with my wife at one of our local shopping malls, walking between stores in the main concourse. I'm not a big fan of malls, big box stores, or other places with lots of people so I was carefully scanning … Continue reading Saints and Demons: Teaching in the Age of COVID
What are Your Metrics for Success?
Not Normal It has been an eventful week. On Wednesday, our students returned to school via Google Classroom and distance learning. On Wednesday evening our district Governing Board made the difficult decision to continue virtual learning for the entire first quarter of the school year. As you can know, based upon the national dialogue, the … Continue reading What are Your Metrics for Success?
