Common Sense Learning

“Common Core-aligned” has become the quality control test by which we measure a legitimate education. Perhaps, “Common Sense-aligned” is a better marker of a solid education.

Teacher Liberation

Crop of the cover of the book, The Teacher Liberation Handbook, showing birds exploding from a row of desk chairs

Check out my recent TEDx talk, Teacher Liberation. The primary focus was reaching educators who love working with young people, but are frustrated by the traditional education systems.

Does This Count…

… is a question I hear frequently – the last time being  1 pm Friday afternoon, from a Deep Root Center teen at the end of our mentoring session.

The Mentoring Effect

A mentor working with a teen member

Mentoring is without a doubt the part of the “PLC magic” that we most value. It’s more important than just about everything.

Move over, Rigor

Years ago, a good friend of mine said something that just stuck with me.  “I could care less about rigor”—surprising words from an honors-level high school teacher. “What I care about is vigor.”