Hey all! As we approach the first anniversary of Kentucky School Talk’s launch, I’ve decided to start digging deeper into the great work that’s going on in schools and districts across the Bluegrass. Throughout 2019, you’ll see short Q&A sessions like these pop up with fantastic educators, parents, and students from around the state. We like to call it “Spilling…
Month: January 2019
What If School Reform Is What’s Best For Kids?
It’s no secret that the Bluegrass State is embroiled in a battle for for the souls of our schools. We’ve witnessed one commissioner resign and another rise from relative obscurity. We’ve seen the state’s largest school district narrowly avoid a takeover. In a matter of months, we’ve watched as perennial policies were repealed and replaced overnight. The whirlwind of changes…
Donald Trump Wants Your Kids To Read The Bible
Or at least, he thinks they should have the choice. No, this isn’t #Fake News. On Monday, the Donald himself weighed in on the controversial movement to introduce Bible literacy in schools. Numerous states introducing Bible Literacy classes, giving students the option of studying the Bible. Starting to make a turn back? Great! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 28,…
Kentucky Upgraded Its Ancient School Report Card Site. You’re Going To Love It.
Of all the soundbites we’ve heard about Kentucky schools over the past few years, this one from the Cincinnati Enquirer still resonates with me: “If you’re a Kentucky mom or dad hoping to crack open this year’s report card to see how your school stacks up, you’re going to be disappointed. It’s not that your school is doing poorly –…
Why We Need to Stop Thinking About Students in Terms of Strengths and Weaknesses
My son is a freshman in high school and this felt like my first report card pick up all over again. While I have access to all his grades and consistent progress electronically, I was nervous to go and hear about how he is performing at the parent-teacher conference. I knew that what his teachers would have to say about his learning…
#KYEdUpdate | 5 Education Bills To Keep An Eye On During KYGA19
Disclaimer: The content below is only intended to inform readers about legislation that may impact Kentucky public schools. Kentucky School Talk never endorses legislation, including the five bills mentioned below. I’m in the middle of an internal debate. Which is crazier: March Madness, or Kentucky’s legislative sessions? As a lifelong #BBN supporter and a career educator, I’m torn. But March…
I Cut Out Standardized Test Prep and Focused On Relationships. Student Growth Was the Highest of My Career.
If you’re a teacher, you might know the feeling. You maintain a frantic pace all year long, trying to shoehorn an impossible amount of the prescribed curriculum into a limited amount of time because ‘it might be on the test.’ You sprinkle multiple choice test taking tips into your lessons to help kids squeeze out a few extra correct answers.…
Surprising Things Happen When Schools Have More Minority Teachers
My 7th graders have finally reached that point in the year where I get to teach one of my favorite topics: the wolves of Yellowstone National Park. While many picture Yellowstone as a lush landscape filled with natural wonders, it didn’t used to be that way. In fact, without help from a small group of gray wolves, Yellowstone as we…
Teachers Need Emotional Support Too
Increasingly, schools are returning to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs in order to better understand how to support students. As anyone who has taken an introductory psychology course knows well, Maslow’s psychological theory is a five-tier model of human needs, depicted as hierarchical levels within a pyramid. From the bottom of the hierarchy upwards, the needs include: physiological, safety, love and belonging, esteem, and self-actualization. The theory is applicable to education in…
Yes, Kentucky Teachers Are Still A Political Force. Here’s How They Can Keep It That Way.
Any true child of the ‘90s should have gleeful memories of the sitcom Kenan and Kel. The show centered around the shenanigans of Chicago teen Kenan and his orange soda-loving friend Kel, who would often find himself getting bribed into mischief for a bottle of his favorite drink. Kel had a famous catchphrase that’s still beloved to this day: So…