The time is approaching. Kindergarten. This is an exciting day though it might be filled with tears. Even if your child attended preschool, kindergarten is seen as the official beginning of the academic journey. This is the most critical time in your child’s academic journey because you don’t want your child to start out behind….
Author: David McGuire
Reading in front of children will encourage your children to read
Share When it comes to our children reading, we are hypocrites. We send children home with homework and stress to them the importance of reading at home. We put all this pressure on them, but then do we model that behavior? Parents and educators, are we reading in front of children? Parents, do your children…
Indy!!! Let’s Collaborate to do What is Best for Kids
Share I had the opportunity to spend this week in Philadelphia at the Relay Graduate School Principal Academy Fellowship. I am here learning and sitting among some of the highest performing schools in the country. There are schools here that are doing exceptional work closing the achievement gap. Many of these schools are located in…
From the Desk of Principal McGuire: Five Tips from Educators to Parents
Share Parents and educators share a common desire, that our children receive the very best. Whether a child attends public school, charter, or private school, these tips, if used by parents, will help educators as we educate our nation’s future. It is important that parents utilize these tips to help drive home the teaching and…
Between a Rock and a Hard Place: My Thoughts on the Supreme Court Nomination as a Black Man and Principal
Share Today I find myself between a rock and a hard place. Where do I stand on the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court? I have two perspectives – that of a black man and that of a school principal. Both equally critical and both very different views. As an incredibly proud black…
Three Tips to Engage Black Students in STEM
Black Panther is the gift that keeps on giving. It gave us the best movie of the year and quite possibly the best film of all time. In an era where many black people are feeling defeated, that film reminded us just how exceptional we are. The one gift that often does not get talked about is Black Panther’s impact on the STEM, specifically, the effect it had on black students. Move over Bill Nye the Science Guy and Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson; there is a new face of science and STEM, and it is Princess Shuri.
Why every successful teacher has a little Ms. Frizzle in them
Share “Take chances, make mistakes, and get messy!” I enjoyed watching television growing up especially television shows that took me on an adventure. One of my favorite shows was The Magic School Bus. At the time, I did not realize how much I was learning; I most enjoyed the adventures the students would embark on…
Why It is Important to Diversify Your Teaching Staff
Share “I am, because, we are and not we are, because of me.” Back in May, I had the privilege to travel to Boston and present at the Coalition of Schools Educating Boys of Color 12th Annual Conference. Teach Plus connected four policy fellows from three states to present at the conference about teacher recruitment…
#ThisIsActivism: Why I feel my role as a principal extends outside the school
Typically when I’m on YouTube, I am either catching up on the latest episodes of The Breakfast Club or looking for a new Ted Talk. On this particular day, I stumbled across a Ted Talk with an interesting title, “Why Open a School? To Close a Prison.” The Ted Talk featured Nadia Lopez, a young…
Hey Principals: When You Keep Bad Teachers, That Hurts Your Students
I was on Facebook and came across the Education Post article, “Hey Principals, When You Lose Good Teachers That’s On You.” It is a true statement, but what about the bad ones that you keep that hurts your students? This blog is not about the unfairness of teacher evaluations and the systems used by schools….