What’s the Real Purpose of All This Testing?

There’s a week approaching that usually arrives when the weather warms. No, not Spring Break. This week is all about stress, skill, competition, failure, and success: state standardized testing. For students, it means blood-shot eyes and frazzled nerves. For parents, some are worried but not enough. For politicians, it’s either a feather in a cap…

The Rise and Fall of Me – ch. 20/20 – Epilogue

So, where was I?  The Rise and Fall of Me: Chapter 20 of 20.  The End.  The Big Finish.  El Fin.  La Endo.  Done.  – 30 – .  (That’s a journalism thing).  Drop the mic and walk off stage.  Teaching is over, has been over for two years now, but what’s happened since?  Let’s start…

The Rise and Fall of Me – ch. 10/20

Thanks again for tolerating the re-posting of this series. “Have a beer.  Don’t cost nothing.” – John Blutarsky ________________________________ Chapter 10:  Starting Over, Again At 37-years old I was completely on my own for the first time in my life.  I had met my ex-wife when I was about 19, so she was my first…

Welcome to Baltimore

I don’t “love” many things, but I do love travelling…traveling…going places.  It makes me feel important to go places, like I have “business” to take care of here or there.  Airports have always fascinated me, train stations too.  This week I’m in Baltimore, Maryland, the Inner Harbor area for an education conference.  So far, very…