The New Jersey School Boards Association has just released a report that addresses the issues of virtual learning.    The report highlights four areas of concern on the part of the districts surveyed.   Please read the article and let us know if you agree or disagree with the findings.   Why do you agree?   Why do you disagree?   Is there anything else that you would like to add to the concerns expressed here?   Is there something that the NJSBA is missing?   

https://www.nj.com/education/2020/10/online-learning-isnt-going-away-can-nj-make-it-better.html 

In addition,  you may wish to react to the article that introduces us to our new boss.    Any comments?    Any suggestions?   Any words of advice for the new leader? 

https://www.nj.com/education/2020/10/nj-gov-phil-murphy-to-name-new-education-commissioner-how-to-watch-live-today-oct-20-2020.html

Cori and Back-to-School Night

 Last week we had a virtual back- to-night. During the evening, we spoke to parents but our discussions were mostly about what they would be seeing and experiencing when we eventually went back to school. 

In my opinion, we should have been talking to parents about what they should be seeing, expecting, and helping with during this period of virtual teaching and learning, not about what to expect when we get back to school. 

What do you think about this approach to back-to-school night?  What do you think our responsibility is to parents during this time of COVID-19?   How is your school dealing with parents and how are you keeping them updated as to what is needed during this period of time?   How did your school structure its back-to-school night?    What type of outreach has your school done in order to keep parents updated?   

Dr. Ries present a controversial topic

 Arnold Glass, a psychology professor at Rutgers University, has written an op-ed article in which he laments the use of cell phones by students for homework assignments.   He believes that retention of material for exam preparation is of utmost importance and that we should discourage students from relying on this "pocket encyclopedia" for homework help.   Read the short op-ed article article.   The link follows: 

https://www.nj.com/opinion/2020/10/hey-kids-dont-use-your-smartphone-to-do-your-homework-opinion.html

Do you agree or disagree with the professor?   Why?   

Let us think about structuring curriculum within our district

 
What has your experience been with regard to the construction of the curriculum within your school district?   Did you feel that it was a helpful experience that enabled you to learn about the scope and sequence of that curriculum?  How were the meetings structured? What did you learn by participating in these curriculum design meetings?   Could the experience have been a better learning one for you as a professional?   How so?  Or.....would you have liked to sit on a curriculum committee and have never been asked?   

For those of you who are not yet teaching...........  when you "land your first teaching job" what would you like to learn about the curriculum structure within your district?  Do you think that knowledge of the curriculum that is covered at other grade levels is at all helpful to you?   Why?