Rhee's Reign

I recently read the article About Washington D.C. Superintendant, Michelle Rhee, from the November 26th Time Magazine entitled Rhee Tackles Classroom Challenge: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1862444,00.html I have mixed feelings about her approach. On the one hand, I am concerned that she is too focused on test scores. Education goes far outside of the classroom. What does the child do after school? Does the child feel safe at home? Does the child see success in his/her future? Does the child care about his/her education? What is going on outside of the classroom is just as important (and maybe more important) than what is going on inside the classroom. Are there any efforts going into working on those aspects in this reform?

On the other hand, progress can be gained through radical changes. She has the type of personality and drive to make those changes happen in a school system that desparately needs changes.

Belated Thanksgiving

One of my professors was recently sharing something a student had written in her yearbook. The student praised her abilities as a teacher throughout his note and explained why she had made a difference in his school performance. This professor then shared that we as teachers will not always know when we are making a difference. This made me think about my teachers who made a huge impact on me. I never once said "thank you." I never told them that they made a difference to me and in me. I never told them that their classes gave me something to which I would look forward. When I think of these teachers, I remember their qualities. They were fair, consistent, they believed in me, they commanded respect, they were passionate about what they were teaching, they gave me a safe space to speak my mind, and they inspired me to become a teacher. I feel like seeking them out now, after all these years, to tell them what they gave me. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, and the approching holiday season, I want to share that I am thankful for these memorable people, and I encourage you to seek out someone who has made a possitive difference in your life and tell that person what they have done for you. I would very much like to hear about it.