My Thoughts

original date 2/10/14 Being able to develop and maintain a cross curricular design shouldn't be that complicated.  Most schools already ask other subject areas to assist English Language Learners by having students write more and learning how to do short answer responses appropriately, but I think that assistance needs to flow the other way as well. The specialization in education has put up walls between subject areas, and you rarely see students learning about history in English class or utilizing the text from a science class textbook to talk about force as it relates outside of science.  I have sat in those professional development meetings where teachers in different subject areas know so little about what goes on outside their specialization. I think often about education in the 1970s when students stayed in one classroom longer.  These generalists had opportunities to truly develop relationships with students and to impart a wealth of information.  I...

Apathy……….it’s my word for the day. Lack of interest, enthusiasm or concern. It’s the word that describes my passive/aggressive reaction to events at work today, so I wanted to explore a bit more about what it was, what causes it and most importantly, how to get rid of it.   Most of the articles I read said avoidance of it is the best way to not have it.   Further, lots of discussion also centered on the numbers of employees who exhibit it.   Many of the articles also talked extensively about foundational leadership principles used in the management of or avoidance of workplace apathy.   I, as an employee, someone who wants to feel engaged and empowered in her life, need to know what I can do to be engaged and empowered.   I need to feel that I have the power to exact change in my immediate situation.   Further, I want to learn how to combat the effects of apathy, not necessarily apathy itself.   You see, I know I am pretty apathetic when it ...