Police Called on Student Passing Out Free Copies of Sherman Alexie Book
This is an update of my April 15 diary, asking for your help to get free copies of a banned book into the hands of Idaho students. Parents in Idaho called the cops last week on junior-high student...
View ArticleMy own little election flyer: please don't vote for Marshall Tuck
One of the joys of being a registered Democrat, apparently, is that one receives a number of election mailers from various organizations telling Democratic voters who to vote for in California's...
View ArticleBriefly, why I am still teaching at 68:
There is nothing more important I can imagine doing that challenging the students I have to think more deeply about what they do and say, and what they do not do and say. Both our actions and our...
View ArticleEvening Saturday morning reflection on teaching
Yes I know my title is somewhat contradictory, but I had too much else that had to be done this morning in order to draft one of my periodic reflections upon what it means to be a teacher, so I offer...
View ArticleSupport Jana Jones for Idaho state superintendent of public instruction
Idaho’s per-capita student spending is the lowest in the United States. Its teachers are some of the lowest paid. Its students are some of the most unprepared for college. And, not surprisingly, its...
View ArticleSome thoughts on teaching
This past weekend I spent almost ten hours reading, commenting upon and correcting student papers. I teach freshman in Government (including one section of AP) and seniors in AP Economics (3...
View ArticleYoung People's Pavilion: The Role of Literature in Language Arts Teaching and...
A child reading in Brookline BooksmithNotes from my ED-LTCY 346 class this semester, Fall 2014 at Boise State University.Children's literature is the foundation for a rich and effective language arts...
View ArticleIs there a teacher who had a great impact upon your life?
If so, you have a chance to honor them. NPR is running a "contest" to name 50 great teachers. Quoting from this website: As my NPR Ed colleague Cory Turner puts it, "Teachers shape lives. And great...
View ArticleJacqueline Woodson wins the National Book Award for her YA memoir, Brown Girl...
Jacqueline Woodson has won the National Book Award for Young People's Literature for her memoir, Brown Girl Dreaming.Raised in South Carolina and New York, Woodson always felt halfway home in each...
View ArticleKids are overtested at the expense of teaching and learning
The need to “raise standards” and insist on “high expectations” for all schools and students is clear and obvious. But unfortunately, in practice, these fine ideas are often reduced to crude slogans:...
View ArticleCreating Classrooms that Inspire Reading and Writing
I've always loved Jerry Harste's work. I often repeat the adage that we have spent a lot of time teaching our children to read, but not enough time teaching them to learn to love to read. As I watched...
View Article"Smart Options" and the Revolving Door of Common Core
Washington D.C. — our capital — is a place known for its revolving door of political influence. It is a place where behind-closed-doors deals are the norm. It is the perfect place for an “education...
View ArticleUPDATE: Teach For America, Fake "Teacher Shortage" and its Contradiction To...
Houston class led by Teach For America corps member; UPDATE: 12/23/14 8:00 MST At the same time I was writing this diary yesterday, Judy Ferro was publishing a column in the Idaho Press Tribune...
View ArticleSherman Alexie is Coming to Boise and Idaho Needs Your Help
by Michael StricklandThis is an update of my April 29 diary: Police Called on Student Passing Out Free Copies of Sherman Alexie Book.From the Boise State University Updates: Michael Strickland, adjunct...
View ArticleWas Slavery at the Heart of the U.S. Constitution?
by Michael StricklandConstitutional interpretation claims to be faithful to neutral legal principles. However, a definitive original meaning is nonetheless saddled by contemporary politics and views of...
View Article2015 Conference on College Composition and Communication Convention: Risk and...
This has always been one of my favorite educator and writer gatherings.I hope to see you there: I invite you to the 2015 Conference on College Composition and Communication Annual Convention in Tampa,...
View ArticleYoung People's Pavilion: Enhancing the Early Reading Experience: Books,...
My picture book Haircuts at Sleepy Sam's. Selecting books for young children can not only be a fun and rewarding experience but also a little daunting, considering the number of books available....
View ArticleYoung People's Pavilion: Helping predict which kindergartners will have...
Diane Corcoran Nielsen "To learn to read is to light a fire; every syllable that is spelled out is a spark." — Victor Hugo, Les Miserables I'll always remember my years of teaching K-8 computer...
View ArticleBringing more dance education into Idaho schools
by Michael Strickland "Dance is the hidden language of the soul of the body." - Martha GrahamWith so many education funding cuts in Idaho, it is always heartwarming to run into initiatives that...
View ArticleYoung People's Pavilion: The Itsy Bitsy Snowman
A young, rosy-cheeked snowman stars in this fun and playful seasonal twist on “The Itsy Bitsy Spider,” In The Itsy Bitsy Snowman by Jeffrey Burton, the musicality of the language makes this clever...
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