A Culture of Fun!

Posted on January 24, 2023 Written by

David Arencibia, one of three finalists for “Principal of the Year” (National Association of Secondary School Principals) says he and his team focus on setting high standards and establishing a culture of FUN! By focusing on the positive instead of problems, Arencibia says the school’s atmosphere is warm, friendly, and challenging. This creates a highly-engaging environment for students, and that is supported by professional development for teachers.

Arencibia says polarizing topics are less of an issue at his school because “we don’t get into those things … because we’re focused on providing the absolute best for each of our students, and that’s a common goal we can all agree on.” 

This article in Smart Brief provides additional details about Arencibia’s unique approach and the process involved in developing “a routine of excellence.”

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COVID Learning Loss? It’s complicated!

Posted on January 10, 2023 Written by

Research into students’ remote learning loss during the pandemic is yielding some surprising results. Studies are showing that losses varied widely — and many districts that went back in person had bigger losses than districts that stayed remote!

This pattern is inconsistent enough that it appears that school closures were not the primary driver of achievement drops. Many other factors may have played a bigger role.

A recent article in Chalkbeat explores the findings of one such study from Harvard. Understanding this and similar studies may prove helpful as your school seeks to offset learning loss. After all, it’s hard to create an effective plan if you don’t have all the facts!

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Retaining Teachers

Posted on December 27, 2022 Written by

Teacher shortages are increasingly a vital concern. Not only are fewer teachers entering the profession, but the number of veteran teachers calling it quits continues to rise each year.*

In addition to other stresses, low pay can be a significant issue in teacher retention. Yet increasing salaries can be nearly impossible in states where money for education is limited, and where new tax cuts reduce funds even further. In this environment, it can be a struggle to meet the basic needs of schools, let alone raise teacher salaries.

But one Nevada educator offers three creative strategies for compensating teachers. While these ideas may not work for everyone, they’re worth exploring … and may even generate additional ideas for ways to add to teacher pay.

Although we know that excellent teachers “teach for the outcome, not for the income,” the realities of today’s economy and the added challenges teachers are facing due to a changing social climate make that ideal harder and harder. As administrators, we need to explore every possible avenue available so that we can keep our veteran teachers teaching.

*https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2022/8/18/23298916/teacher-shortages-debate-local-national

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Curiouser and Curiouser!

Posted on December 13, 2022 Written by

Classroom discussion is a cornerstone of effective instruction. But seventeen states have now enacted legislation that makes it harder and harder for teachers and administrators to determine what type of discussion is acceptable. For example, Oklahoma has now banned the use of the phrase “diversity,” restricted classroom discussions of racism, and removed classic literature like To Kill a Mockingbird and A Raisin in the Sun from their list of anchor texts.

Four of these seventeen states … Arizona, Florida, New Hampshire, and Oklahoma … are now facing legal challenges to such laws. This article in Education Week delves deeply into the topic, and offers an overview of the lawsuits filed in each state. One key argument is that the legislative language is so vague and ambiguous that it is essentially impossible to implement. Another is that laws prohibiting schools from conducting diversity, equity, and inclusion training clearly violate First Amendment rights.

It’s important to note that Arkansas is one of the seventeen states that now have a “divisive concept” law in place (AR SB627.2021). Thus it’s likely that the results of the Oklahoma and Florida lawsuits will impact the future course of such legislation in our state as well. Prudent educational administrators will want to monitor developments in this evolving situation closely.

Watch for later posts on this topic as additional information becomes available …

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