Carl Glickman’s Post

This is such a timely and important book for everyone who cares about public education and its role in protecting and preserving our democracy. Now, more than ever, it is imperative for everyone (not just those with formal leadership titles) to stand up and speak out. Berman and Luvelle elevate the reasons why and provide an important template for meaningful action that is respectful of diverse opinions by calling for dialogue over debate and being hard on the problems and soft on the people. Definitely a must read!

Public education is foundational to a successful democracy. Teachers, educational leaders, and communities are on the front lines of ensuring what is core to this nation: providing education for each child and ensuring students have the skills to think critically and thrive. COSA celebrates Dr. Sheldon Berman and Luvelle Brown for their work on this book. #COSAleaders #Publiceducation #Educationalleadership #Courage #Calltocourage

We're excited to release these two new posters: Ten Commandments of Education to help teachers and students discuss what they can do to make themselves, their classroom and the world a more just and peaceful place. One poster is geared for middle and high school age people, while Ten Commandments of Education for Kids is aimed at younger children. With the school year beginning soon, we want all students to be part of creating classrooms, schools and communities that are welcoming, inclusive and courageous. In contrast to Republican-led efforts to require that the biblical Ten Commandments be posted in classrooms, these messages are neither religious, nor sectarian. Instead, they articulate guidelines for ways of being that foster community, collaboration and joy of learning. The process of creating these posters sought to embody that ethic, with input from a variety of educators, SCW staff and other cultural workers at-large, to develop a meaningful resource for educators and students. We will soon publish a one-page Teachers Guide (as a downloadable PDF) with suggestions about how to use the poster to promote a more positive learning environment (check our website in late August). In Peace, Mara Sapon-Shevin
Professor Emerita of Inclusive Education, Syracuse University

This week on Conscious Pathways I'm joined by Dr. Denise Kennedy, PhD, Professor and Department Chair of Early Childhood Studies at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. In this conversation, Dr. Kennedy highlights the critical importance of play-based inquiry in early childhood education. She emphasizes how traditional education systems often focus on teaching to the test, which limits children's ability to problem-solve and think critically. Dr. Kennedy illustrates this with a powerful example: if we hand a child a toy and tell them exactly how to use it, they’ll follow instructions and move on. However, if we give them the toy with open-ended curiosity, they’ll explore and discover far more, enhancing their learning experience through play and inquiry-based learning. 🎧 Listen now: https://lnkd.in/gqav94yW b677a0d6-4c19-45bb-9c02-8e38fe5bde69/ep/5e029632-26e8-491e-8a77-214ca5cc98ac Watch here: https://lnkd.in/gb-yxSQY Let's discuss! How can we incorporate more play-based inquiry into our education systems? Share your thoughts in the comments below! ⬇️💬 #EarlyChildhoodEducation #PlayBasedLearning #CriticalThinking #ProblemSolving #InquiryBasedLearning #ChildDevelopment #EducationSystem #STEM #Literacy #TeacherPreparationPrograms #PedagogicalSkills.#PlayBasedInquiry #FosteringCreativity #CriticalThinkingSkills #ActiveLearning #InquiryBasedLearning #EducationForTheFuture #ProblemSolvingSkills #EmpoweringChildren #BeyondMemorization #UnlockingPotential

In our last essay, the latest in our series on public education, we examined the teaching crisis in America. In this essay, written by Civic Way founder Bob Melville, we examine possible solutions. These could include reforms to how teachers become teachers, increasing resources and increased pay. https://lnkd.in/eCGBnSff

A recent book by Laura Meckler on the Cleveland suburb of Shaker Heights, "Dream Town," takes a fascinating look at its repeated efforts over the years to promote equity in education. Despite a long history of integration, wide achievement gaps between Black and white students have persisted. As the book suggests, the reasons have to do with class as much as race--and with levels of parental education. Like most school districts across the country, it seems that Shaker hasn't been providing the kind of explicit, content-rich instruction that children from less highly educated families need in order to succeed academically. More in my latest post: https://lnkd.in/dTKYt_Ub

How would you respond to: How do we protect our democracy and the future of our students as participants in it? Check out Elizabeth Alvarez, Ph.D. response in this month's issue of The Stories We Tell and share your own response!

For over a decade the MAGAt (formerly Republican) Party has been trying to dismantle public education. In Project 2025 they go so far as to propose to eliminate the Department of Education. And in Red states like Oklahoma, as this article describes, MAGAt legislators and state officials as actively breaching the Founders fundamental firewall between church and state. As a result teachers are revolting, and many are just walking away from their careers. To give some context to this constant attempt by MAGAts to destroy public education, American children are the least literate and numerate children in the developed world, and there is a growing insufficiency of teachers in public schools, particularly in MAGAt-controlled states. This is going to have long-term generational consequences. Already 54% of Americans can’t read past 6th grade level, and 43% can’t read past 5th grade. Nor can they do fraction or percentage calculations. What does that mean? It means the United States is deliberately abandoning its ability to be a scientific world leader.

Throughout the year, we honor the 70th anniversary of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision. This pivotal ruling declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional, laying the groundwork for educational equity and civil rights in the United States. Why is this decision important? It reaffirmed that every child deserves equal access to quality education, regardless of race. It set a precedent for dismantling systemic barriers and continues to inspire efforts toward inclusive and equitable schooling for all students. Here is a list of tools and resources for educators to support and enhance their efforts in creating inclusive, equitable learning environments. https://lnkd.in/eF3yT5ex #BrownvBoard70 #EducationEquity Southern Education Foundation

I've just posted on Teachers Pay Teachers the "Integrated Timeline of United States History." It's in 19 separate books (over 20 pages each), starting with "Indigenous Peoples and Explorers" and ending with the beginning of the 2020s. The Integrated Timeline is perfect for teachers who want additional US history materials to inform and challenge their students, students who want more than a whitewashed version of history, and adults who feel like there's more to American history than what they learned in school. The material in each book is presented year by year. An individual year may include information on: news (international, national, state, and more) economics science and health technology and innovations the arts sports The individual books are only $2 apiece! Coming soon--I plan to come out with a print version, probably a two-volume set, in 2024. https://lnkd.in/guHik-iG