In Ohio, you join the teachers union. It is not an inexpensive membership. Dues can range from $650 to $800. Every year the union gives you a knick-knack. Lunch box. A fleece blanket. Flash drive. Ren and I like to come home and proudly display our $650 whatever. This year, because I wander the district, [...]

Gail Collins‘ great quote on teachers today: Can I digress, people, and say that while it’s important to make teachers accountable, telling them their jobs could hinge on their students’ grades on one test is a terrible idea? The women and men who go into teaching tend, as a group, to be both extremely dedicated [...]

By Diane Ravitch, who used to think NCLB was a good thing (but changed her mind after evidence – and how many people do that today – showed that it wasn’t working). “There should not be an education marketplace, there should not be competition,” Ravitch says. “Schools operate fundamentally — or should operate — like [...]

Dan Meyer is a young teacher out in California who is incredibly bright. I find myself following his blog and coming up with all kinds of ideas. And it’s not just his posts. He attracts a number of thoughtful educators and thus has built a pretty awesome learning community. His thoughts on grading really gave [...]