American-made from1857 to 1899: A Starter List
Semi-quincentennial: a mouthful of a word and unfamiliar, too. Translation: 250, and this 4th of July, the number of years since the Declaration of Independence and America’s birth. Along with parades, barbeques, and fireworks, it’s also fitting to give a nod to...
The Move from Zero Tolerance to Restorative Justice Policies = Success Story or Out-of-Control Students?
There was a time when teachers had the big desk facing the kids who sat in rows in front of them. Everyone knew the rules; everyone knew who was in charge, and discipline was meted out swiftly. Misbehave and either end up sitting in the hallway or landing in the...
Device-Happy Youngsters + Permissive Parenting = Youngsters Not School-Ready
“We’ve seen a large increase in the inability for students to cope when things don’t go their way. We see a lot of crying, yelling, shutting down, gross overreactions. Teachers are at the end of their rope.” ~ Ian Knox, principal, Hamagrael Elementary School Recently,...
The 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee: And the Winner Is…
Not front page, top-of-the-fold news; didn’t even make pages 2 or 3, but it instead landed on page 4 with a headline that said it all: “National Spelling Bee Is Decided in a Thriller.” And, in case you missed it, here’s the rest of the story in a nutshell. Many of us...
Connecting the Dots from the 4-Day School Week & Equity Issues to Lousy Test Scores
“… Shortening the school day or rushing through curriculum is counterproductive to developing functional literacy in the digital age. ~ Daniel J. Levitin, "Many kids don’t get enough time in school for the stuff they need help with. Teachers [need] more time for their...
Memorial Day and Its Red Poppy Connection
Memorial Day is more than a welcome 3-day weekend; it is a solemn day honoring all who gave their lives in military service. For many people, the holiday signals the unofficial start of summer—a time for rest, travel, and gatherings with family and friends. Yet...
7 School-Wise Updates + Diapered Kindergarteners, Too
“The advantages of paper-based reading, especially for informational or expository text, are incredibly strong, and we see similar patterns with handwritten notetaking… Educators should consider using physical textbooks and notebooks whenever possible. If schools...
9 School-Wise Public-School Updates
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is now making videos teaching students about the Supreme Court case, Tinker v. Des Moines, which determined that students maintain some free speech First Amendment rights in school. Writes Education Week’s Sarah Schwartz,...
6 School-Wise Updates, a Heads-Up, and an Old-School, Cell Phone Solution
HEADS-UP: Be advised that recent research reported in the Early Childhood Education Journal finds that, “Toddlers who demonstrated a greater ability to pretend wound up having fewer emotional and behavioral problems by the time they entered grade school…” It goes on...
The Bending-Over-Backwards Self-Esteem Movement
Heralded by Nathaniel Branden’s 1969 The Psychology of Self-Esteem, it seemed like a logical, easy fix that would right academics and behavior, too, so countless teachers and parents jumped on the self-esteem bandwagon. Its central idea as described by journalist...
Getting School-Wise with Parents, Test Results, School Choice, Homework, and More
So much to know... *** About private school choice via vouchers that go toward private school tuition: Congress has approved billions of dollars of federal tax credits, and 28 states have agreed to participate. In Florida, 500,000 students, less than 15% of the...
In the Name of Fairness: School-Related Equity Policies and the Fallout
According to the the Annie E. Casey Foundation: “Equality requires that everyone receives the same resources and opportunities, regardless of circumstances and…assumes that everybody is operating at the same starting point and will face the same...
Short Informational Texts, Low Expectations, and Teaching to the Test
AI’s take: “Essentially, the intense focus on basic reading and math skills, driven by federal accountability laws, created a practical need for more digestible, shorter informational texts in other subjects…” President Bush’s 2002 No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB)...
Teachers Replacing Themselves with AI
Of Note: A 2024-25 Center for Democracy and Technology survey found that Google has already invested $40 million in AI literacy for teachers and students. Of Note: OpenAI recently rolled out ChatGPT for K-12 teachers and school districts, initially at no cost to...
The Reading and Spelling Connection, MIA in Our Classrooms
The 2025 National Scripps Spelling Bee’s winning word, éclaircissement, correctly spelled by 13-year-old Faizan Zaki. Dr. Richard J. Gentry, renowned author of 16 books, including Spelling Connections, researcher, and education consultant, didn’t mince words when, in...
AI: Part of the Loneliness Epidemic, Not Its Solution
It’s not just old folks feeling isolated and alone. In these tech-driven, social media-happy days, AI, acting as companion, parent, teacher, and/or advisor, often spews ill-informed, even deadly, advice, adding to the loneliness and mental health crisis. FOR...
11 Trends in America’s Public Schools
*** A recent Gallup survey found that: 35% of Americans are completely or somewhat satisfied with our public schools, falling 8% since last year. 38% are somewhat dissatisfied. 24% are completely dissatisfied, and *** On the continuing math wars, USA Today recently...
2026 “First Footing” with Good News and Simple Wisdoms
~ Said Mark Twain on his 70th birthday: “Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” ~ And out of the mouths of little kids, with thanks to Answers to Life’s Big Questions, by Steve & Ruth Bennett: Question: “What cheers you up...
Americans’ Mounting Debts and Financial Illiteracy
Once upon a time: During President Taft’s term, Congress passed the Republican-promised postal savings banks system, providing a secure savings option for the working class, immigrants, and children. Operational as of January 1, 1911, they boasted $3.4 billion in...
Technology in the Classroom: All That It Was Cracked Up to Be?
“What students remember most from school is rarely a test score. Ask them what made school matter, and they will tell you: Someone understood me. We figured something out together. My teacher believed I could do it.” ~ Educator Jessica Soloman FACT: K-12 education...
