Education Blog
Can you please stop growing up?!
Happy birthday Sam.
You’re turning nine today. Nine. How did that happen? This morning you walked down to the end of the block to hop on the bus and I saw you standing there with your little brother and all of a sudden the world doesn’t dwarf you like it used to.
I remember the day you started kindergarten. Parents had told your mom and me that the first few years of your life would sort of stroll by but once you started school the years would fly. And now you’re finishing third grade and I’m having a hard time. Your little brother is finishing daycare and next year he’ll be getting on the bus with you too. And it’s happening too fast.
You know I’m an emotional dad. It’s the way I’m wired. I’m particularly bad at transitions. When a vacation is ending, I have a hard time enjoying the last day (or two) because I’m pre-sad that the vacation is ending. I’m fighting that with you right now. I don’t want to be halfway through you living in our house.
Read More >>How would you sell the context of your job?
While digging around my delicious account, I came across this article from The Chronicle of Philanthropy that I had saved last fall. Re-reading this piece, I thought about many of the things Nathan writes in his book and in this blog. The article suggests that non-profits emphasize their “context”—their mission, how their work is important—when they recruit new employees, as the “millenial” college graduate is more likely to follow his or her passions when choosing a career path.
Read More >>Nonprofit groups should sell not just the job to potential employees but also the “context of the job,” says the report from the Johns Hopkins Center for Civil Society Studies, in Baltimore.
Group Read in MInneapolis
As the end of the school year approaches, so too ends the first year of my book being out in the world. One of the amazing things about writing a book is that you send it out into the universe and hope good things come out of it, even when you’re not sure what exactly is going on yourself! Hmm… sort of how I feel about my two sons.
I’ve had the privilege over the year, however, to participate with one group of teachers at Roosevelt High School here in Minneapolis who chose to use the book as their group read for a year’s worth of conversation. I’ve gone over and met with them a few times to listen in on their discussions, hear how the book is going, and see what advice I might be able to offer as they work toward a supportive workplace and a rewarding personal experience.
It has been wonderful to see good conversation, difficult questions, and thoughtful solutions come out of the process.
Read More >>Losing Teachers We Can't Afford to Lose
I was sent this article this morning from Minnesota Public Radio titled New teacher layoffs may have broader implict on Minnesota education.
The article explores the unsettling effects of the hemorrhaging of novice teachers: unstable classrooms, the break up of teaching teams, a severing of passing on knowledge from experience teachers, and a massive (and scary) shortage of teachers within the next decade.
As per that impending shortage, the article notes, “Nationally, teaching is a growth industry. The U.S. Department of Labor reports that teaching will produce more jobs than most other fields between now and 2016. But the growth is occurring in states like Nevada, Texas, Arizona and Georgia.”
But who is going to fill those jobs? Are the gifted teachers being let go going to come back down the road? Are schools going to be able to attract high caliber young teachers?
Read More >>TED: What ALL presentations should be like
If you’ve never watched a presentation from a TED conference you really owe yourself the pleasure.
Starting in 1984, TED (Technology Entertainment Design) brings together the best of the best in new and BIG thinkers.
Of particular note here is Sir Ken Robinson’s seeringly funny and critical address Do schools kill creativity? If you want some serious fodder for conversation, watch this with your colleagues at your next staff meeting.
On a more practical note, TED also has its own TED Commandments for its presenters. Note to ANYONE giving a presentation ANYWHERE to ANY audience: these commandments apply to all speaking engagements. There’s little wonder that TED has such remarkable talks.
Enjoy and have a great week!
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As a former teacher, I’ve seen first-hand the issues that educators face every day. I hope that by writing this blog, I can share some insights (as well as a sense of humor) on teacher job satisfaction and school climate, and spark conversation about how to improve our schools.
—Nathan Eklund, M.Ed
Senior Education Consultant
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