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#BustEDPencils Live!

#BustEDPencils Live!Tuesday June 11 at 7 pm.Talk 92.7 MadisonReal teachers in studio. Imagine that!

The “X”odus Files: Shortage Denial Syndrome.

A few weeks ago Peter Greene posted a blog about the fact that there is NO TEACHER SHORTAGE. He even mentioned me as one of the shortage deniers. I sent his post to a host of people—teachers, politicians, government agencies, and anybody else that needed a reminder. I then went on with my day delusionally… Read more »

Surrendering Will Make You Free

Life is very short, and there’s no time For fussing and fighting, my friend I have always thought that it’s a crime, So I will ask you once again Try to see it my way…   -J. Lennon   This is going to be difficult, but here goes. I surrender. 45, and the wealthiest Cabinet ever… Read more »

BustED Pencils on Vacation!

Jewell Elementary & Aurora Public Schools Skirt Law

Letter sent to Colorado State Board of Education, as well as media, senators who sponsored bill, Aurora Education Association, Aurora superintendent office and Aurora school board. Dear Board Members, I wrote to you last week concerning PARCC incentives that are occurring at Jewell Elementary in the Aurora Public School District. See here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2017/03/08/school-offers-incentives-to -get-kids-to-take-common-core-standardized-test/?utm_term=.ac09ab89615a  The… Read more »

Retweet to @aurorak12 please re: PARCC incentives at Jewell Elementary

If you read my post from last Sunday you will know that there is currently a PARCC incentive plan afoot in my former school, Jewell Elementary in the Aurora Public School District. The plan will reward students who show great effort on PARCC and who attend on all testing days. It will punish children who… Read more »

Jewell Elementary Offers PARCC (CMAS) Incentives

On Friday, March 3rd, Jewell Elementary parents received a letter regarding PARCC incentives. Yes – it’s THAT time of year. Many Colorado schools refer to PARCC as CMAS. To catch new readers up to speed before I launch into the information about PARCC incentives, let me give you a quick recap. I taught at Jewell… Read more »

Objects in Mirror are Closer Than They Appear

Objects in Mirror are… As lightning struck closer and closer, I looked to other parents who chatted casually on the sidelines. I felt almost embarrassed to be the one to raise the alarm as I sheepishly approached by daughter’s soccer coach and exclaimed as calmly as I could, “Coach, I think we need to get… Read more »

Why do White Working Class Men Vote Against their Own Self Interest? Musings from a White Female

I was listening to a satellite radio show today called HARDTalk where the host and the guest, Jason Furman (an economic advisor for the Obama administration), discussed how the recent election was “tapping into the gut” of the American white working class. This has been a topic of hot debate since November 9th.  However, writer… Read more »

My Thoughts Post-Election: The Destructive Hangover of a Generation

“Reputation, reputation, reputation! Oh, I have lost my reputation! I have lost the immortal part of myself, and what remains is bestial.” ― William Shakespeare, Othello Oh what bender of hate, racism, and misogyny is our country on? Let me begin with some background details about my main analogy here. I am a recovering alcoholic and drug… Read more »