KANSAS CITY, Kansas—Superintendent Cynthia Lane learned the cello a few years ago, but not to fulfill some lifelong dream of soloing with the local symphony. The leader of Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools, who played clarinet in high school, now performs alongside fourth- and fifth-graders in their annual spring strings concert. Fifth-graders also spend months […]
One of the worst "professional learning" experiences from my teaching days involved a clown nose. The entire teaching staff—700 of us—were gathered in the town's civic auditorium to hear a speaker. Talk about "sit and get." At a pivotal moment, the speaker had us reach under our seats and pull out the envelopes that had […]
From providing a range of innovative initiatives, including social-emotional learning programs to giving English language learners quality support, 54 school districts have been named among DA's newest batch of Districts of Distinction this year. The honored districts from 23 states were chosen for the national recognition program for their innovative and unique twist on traditional […]
Chicago Public Schools will require a new first-of-its-kind program to ensure all students leave high school with a post-graduation plan. Starting with the past year's freshmen class, every student must have their Learn.Plan.Succeed plan approved to graduate. Chicago is the first large urban district in the country to implement the program, which many city schools […]
The growing and dangerous perception among some that America is a post-racial society is fueling the transition back to separate but equal schools, says Bryan Joffe, project director of education and youth development for the School Superintendents Association. "Some people would say this case is indicative of a Southern problem, when I think this is […]
The great majority of school violence prevention programs do not work. This is demonstrated by bullying continuing at unprecedented rates. Also, rampage school shootings—which the National Research Council calls a "new and unique violence"—continue to periodically shock the nation. It is critically important to address this violence effectively because schools are crucibles of the future. […]
A federal judge ruled last spring that the predominantly white city of Gardendale, Alabama, may secede from its more diverse county school district—even though the judge saw racial motivations behind the city's efforts. Jefferson County, Alabama, has been struggling to comply with a federal desegregation order since 1971. Gardendale students have been attending the Jefferson […]
Whirling fidget spinners invaded classrooms across the country this past spring, but with many schools banning them as a distraction, their future as a potential remedy for students with attention difficulties is in doubt. Classroom impact Teachers from districts including Mt. Pleasant City School District in Michigan and Catawba County Schools in North Carolina, were […]
If educators in Chicago's Noble Network of Charter Schools get their way, they will soon compose the largest unionized charter school network in the nation. The Noble charter network operates 17 schools across Chicago, employing about 800 teachers and staff. In March, Noble educators joined together to begin the unionizing process, saying it would help […]
David Krulwich, principal of the Urban Assembly School for Applied Math and Science, says new teachers are too often left to fend for themselves, without the benefit of an artisan-apprentice relationship. Teaching is a craft and, as with any craft, neophytes should ideally work alongside the experts and artisans to soak up knowledge and experience along […]
