Since the departure of former Indianapolis Public Schools Superintendent, Dr. Lewis Ferebee, Aleesia Johnson has been filling in on an interim basis. Many people in the community have expressed interest in having her continue in that role long term. Those people may get their wish. Johnson announced yesterday via letter that she would, in fact,…
After being an instructional coach for three school years, I make no assumptions about what is happening in classrooms in a school. When you are an instructional coach, the principal gives you the rundown on who is a great teacher and who is not. Instructional coaches tend to get inside of classrooms more than principals….
The last few years included some of the worst school shootings in US history. This has led to a number of policies and efforts aimed at curbing violence in schools. This includes everything from funding for metal detectors to active shooter drills. Some have even thrown around the idea of arming teachers with guns. While…
In April, students across the state of Indiana will be preparing for the brand new ILEARN exam. Those familiar with the exam are expecting scores across the state to drop. This rigorous exam is said to be more difficult than the previous state exam, ISTEP. The mere thought of a state exam can give students…
Spring break is the last long break before the school year ends. For teachers, it is a time to recharge, but it is also a time to think and reflect upon the school year to determine if their current school is a place they want to return to next school year. Principals slip forms in…
Last school year, IPS closed three high school campuses and went from seven high schools to four. This was under the reinvent IPS high schools movement. Under this district restructure, IPS moved to an all choice model. This model allowed students to choose the high school they wanted to attend based on future career interests….
Last week, a Chalkbeat Indiana article caused much debate in education circles but especially in education circles of color. Educator responses ranged from asserting that teachers do not need to pass a test to educators feeling offended that the article seemed to suggest educators of color could not pass a standardized test. Check out the…
Earlier this year, law enforcement was brought in to Meadowlawn Elementary School in Monticello, Indiana to help facilitate an active shooter drill. What happened next was the subject of national debate. Teachers were split into smaller groups. They were then led into classrooms and told to kneel, facing the wall. Then, deputies without warning proceeded…
This school year is my 13th as an educator but my first school year as a library/media specialist. It has been a whirlwind but a whirlwind full of fun. I quickly learned that a school library is an important part of the school. This is why we need to draw attention to libraries in our…
If you have taught any length of time, then you know that the biggest obstacle to successful classroom management is the sheer number of students. Thus, conventional wisdom says smaller classrooms are better for teachers. This is probably why Betsy DeVos’s latest statement raised some eyebrows: “There is no evidence that the Federal taxpayer investments…