Calling all math teachers - take a few minutes to evaluate your math textbook and get a $10 gift card for Amazon and start your summer reading early.

I really like the idea of aggregating feedback from teachers in a way that protect’s a teacher’s identity. It is time to crowdsource teacher feedback and I think it would need to be a neutral third party.This provides a benefit to teachers, educators, and even to publishers. 

(Eventually, it sure would be nice to teachersource feedback on standardized tests - most teachers don’t mind accountability but it is being accountable for the right things.)

http://bit.ly/KcfLbu

 (Full disclosure: I really like what this company Classroom Window is doing and how they want to aggregate teacher opinions into something that can make a difference and am in negotiations to have a (very small) stake in this company. As always I follow the blogger’s code of ethics and my own and let you know if there is any other influence that you should be aware of. Also, however, note that I never work with anyone that I wouldn’t recommend whether I was officially “working” with them or not.)

Don’t just let school “end” but be intentional about what you do. Appreciate those who are retiring. Remember the janitorial staff. Teach well even on the last day of school. Finish with purpose and make ever moment be something you can cherish. Teaching is a gift and a joy and we’re fortunate to be among the proud few who get to call this our profession! http://awe.sm/5pAo2

This blog post is one of the most popular that I’ve ever written over on my “official” Cool Cat Teacher blog about how to finish well. If you’re a teacher, you might want to take a look. (too long for Tumblr)

“A crucial piece to ensuring top quality teachers are educating our children is recruiting top-notch people into the profession.  If a high achieving college student has the potential to join a profession where he may be publicly shamed and earn a wage that would allow him to live a middle-class lifestyle or join a field where he will be able to show his skill, be rewarded for great performance, earn a very competitive wage, and not have his performance published online and in the newspaper, what decision do you think most people will make?  The public shaming of teachers will hurt recruitment of top-level candidates into the profession which shapes our nation’s future.  If truly strong teachers are not educating our future generations, there is little doubt that students will not receive the education necessary for competitive jobs.”

Teacher AJ Juliani reflects on teacher evaluation and makes some points that few are discussing. Yes, accountability is important as is transparency but treating this profession that is so key to the future of any country with respect and discernment is also important. If you’re looking at the edreform debate, this is a great read.

You can be a member of a team at our upcoming workshop in India. We have 9 student teams and 4 teacher teams that need at least one virtual member to provide feedback. You can Skype in if you wish but just providing feedback and comments will be a powerful learning experience for you all. JOin in the fun.

positivelypersistentteach:

I’d love to have more time / energy to write these types of things.   Most of the Tumblr teachers I know are using facebook regularly, but I think a lot of us miss out on what an asset (in addition to Tumblr of course) that Twitter can be for educators.  Here’s a good little guide to look into if you have the time.

Facebook and Twitter guides for educators.