The semantics of Race to the Top

Submitted by Molly Thacker on Tue, 08/17/2010 - 13:37 Posted in Class notes | Permalink

I have been thinking a lot about Race to the Top lately, as I’m sure many of us have. I’ve been thinking so much about the complexities and implications of the program that I almost don’t know where to start. 

I could start by discussing Arne Duncan’s recent interview on NPR, in which he praised the “amazing results” of the program; or by reviewing the formal criticism recently put forth by leading civil rights organizations, including the NAACP; or compare my own ideas to those of Diane Ravitch, posited in a recent article. For me, though, perhaps the most troubling aspect of the entire policy is a very fundamental one: language.

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Teaching from the inside out

Submitted by Molly Thacker on Thu, 05/27/2010 - 13:06 Posted in Class notes | Permalink

Teaching For Joy and Justice: Re-imagining the Language Arts Classroom  - the title makes it sound so easy to do! In her most recent book Linda Christensen offers a combination of practical solutions, theoretical frameworks, and inspirational anecdotes for teachers who attempt each and every day to make their classrooms sites of just and joyful learning. 

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EduCon 2.2 reflection

Submitted by Molly Thacker on Tue, 02/02/2010 - 11:23 Posted in Class notes | Permalink

EduCon 2.2, presented by Science Leadership Academy, promised to be more than just a conference, and it delivered.  

The notion of being talked with, not at, was only one departure I found from other conferences I have attended.  Another major difference I noticed is how free my hands were.  At typical English teacher conferences I am used to having my hands full of papers and pamphlets, books and of course, the ubiquitous tote bag.  At EduCon, much of the conversation was paperless and taking place on live streams and Twitter feeds.

I walked away from EduCon 2.2 with my mind swirling with ideas about how to improve my teaching and create more meaning in my classes – pretty good for a snowy Saturday afternoon.

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Teen violence: Chicago incident prompts moving from conversation to action

Submitted by Molly Thacker on Tue, 10/13/2009 - 23:37 Posted in Class notes | Permalink

I’m sure by now everyone has heard about the tragic incident of the high school student in Chicago who was killed a few weeks ago. 

And I’m sure by now everyone has probably stopped talking about him. It seems to be the way it goes. 

Jon and Kate’s latest scandal? You’ll be able to find instant updates daily. The brutal beating of a sixteen year old honor student? The story dissipates after the first few headlines. 

I first heard about the murder from a student of mine, who brought the issue into the classroom as her chosen topic for weekly discussions we conduct.  The student did a great job finding an article for students to read and respond to on our class blog. She also facilitated an engaging, critical conversation around teen violence and bullying, intersecting with issues of race. 

Although we did end the discussion on a note of action, thinking about ways we can address violence here in Philadelphia and at our school, our class discussion seemed almost futile in the sense that we were trying to explain an inexplicable occurrence. 

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