Inside Education
with Shane Phipps
Who Will Teach Your Children when Teachers Have Finally Had Enough?
You’ve heard the expression, “I’ll shout it until I’m blue in the face,” well, public school teachers are blue in the face. We’ve been shouting for many years now—shouting about the attack on public education by Republican controlled state legislatures—shouting about the unfair and inequitable high stakes testing being tied to teacher compensation—shouting about pay … Continue reading Who Will Teach Your Children when Teachers Have Finally Had Enough?
Push to Return Schools to Normal has Many Teachers Concerned
Like the world in general, the education landscape has been anything but normal in the past year. As the pandemic began to spread early last spring, schools had to scramble to find a way to continue the learning process remotely. To be completely honest, the end of the 2019-20 school year was pretty messy. Few … Continue reading Push to Return Schools to Normal has Many Teachers Concerned
Teachers Walk a Tightrope Over Political Strife
These are uncharted waters. The seas are raging, and we are all just trying to batten down the hatches and hold on. With the nation in turmoil from the election fallout, the future is shrouded by an ominous cloud. Things are unsettling and uncertain. This is especially true for teachers. Our students are not immune … Continue reading Teachers Walk a Tightrope Over Political Strife
Trump’s “Patriotic Education Commission” Plan Shows Complete Lack of Understanding of what Patriotism Is
“This past week, the president doubled down by announcing that he will create a “Patriotic Education Commission” so that schools will be forced by “patriotic parents” to “stop teaching about what America has done wrong” and “start teaching about freedoms.” When I heard this announcement, I was gobsmacked. It has become clear to me that our president and those who still support him—most particularly, the far-right Christians—do not understand the concept of patriotism whatsoever. As a teacher of American history for the past 20 years, I feel it is my duty to try and deliver to them a lesson on patriotism and American freedoms.”
Public Education Needs to Radically Change Its Primary Focus in Order to Save Our Nation
The farther down our current path we travel, the more convinced I become that it’s going to take public education to turn us around. And that, I’m afraid, can’t happen unless we totally revamp everything we do. Although we’ve made some positive strides in the methods we use to teach children, the fact remains that … Continue reading Public Education Needs to Radically Change Its Primary Focus in Order to Save Our Nation
The Awesome Responsibility of Teaching Students in Troubled Times
Teachers haven’t had this kind of volatile national atmosphere in which to do our jobs for over 50 years. Not since at least the late 60s has our nation been so divided and so ripe for hatred and violence in the streets. The question becomes; what is our responsibility as educators when it comes to … Continue reading The Awesome Responsibility of Teaching Students in Troubled Times
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Reopening Schools
“Nobody expected the reopening of schools to be without problems. It is the way schools react to these problems that will make the difference between being able to stay open and having to close back down. Being honest, forthright and transparent is a good place to start.”
Back to School Lesson Taught is a Lesson Learned
Yesterday was our first day back to school in almost five months. As is normally the case, our school doesn’t jump right into our regular curriculum. We spend the first few days of the school year getting to know each other and trying to build a foundation for a positive school culture. Teachers are given … Continue reading Back to School Lesson Taught is a Lesson Learned
An Open Letter to President Trump on Behalf of Social Studies Teachers Everywhere
Mr. President, A few days ago, you stood on a stage in front of Mount Rushmore and made some comments that can only be described as a direct attack upon public schools. In that speech, you claimed that America’s public schools teach students to “hate America” and insinuated that the indoctrination modern students receive in … Continue reading An Open Letter to President Trump on Behalf of Social Studies Teachers Everywhere
The Covid-19 Pandemic is Revealing Just How Crucial Public Schools Are and Why They Should Be Equitably Funded
Being a few weeks into the COVID-19 shutdown, students across the country have by now settled into new routines for their education. For those with the capability, that probably means a lot of e-learning work. Although less than ideal, where the technology is available, e-learning can have its merits. But our shared experiences over the … Continue reading The Covid-19 Pandemic is Revealing Just How Crucial Public Schools Are and Why They Should Be Equitably Funded
No More Middle Ground: At this point, you are either for public education, or you are against it
Everything we crazy, paranoid teachers have been warning you about for the last decade is coming to pass right before our eyes. We told you that the new accountability system that tied teacher pay to standardized test results was not only flawed but completely inequitable and bigoted. We told you that the supermajority Indiana legislature … Continue reading No More Middle Ground: At this point, you are either for public education, or you are against it
A Teacher’s Morning: Today Will Be a Better Day
At 5am the alarm rings out But it does not wake him up He’s been staring in the darkness for an hour There’s a routine battle raging in his brain Can he do this again today? He summons up the courage To rise up from his bed And shuffles to the shower Like he’s walking … Continue reading A Teacher’s Morning: Today Will Be a Better Day
Why I Am Still a Teacher, Despite Everything
Teaching has become a much harder thing to do in the last decade. The fact that there is such a major shortage of teachers comes as no surprise to anyone who teaches in a public school. Granted, some of the issues that have caused teachers so much stress are coming from within the walls of … Continue reading Why I Am Still a Teacher, Despite Everything
The Real Reason Behind the Push for School Choice
The war on public education is entering its final stages. It’s been a nearly two decade long process leading us to the final phase of battle. That battle will happen in November. The GOP, to their credit, have done a masterful job of manipulating the game to this point. They built a great Trojan Horse … Continue reading The Real Reason Behind the Push for School Choice
Indiana Governor Holcomb Continues to Insult and Taunt Public School Teachers.
Back in November when 20,000 red clad supporters of public education descended upon the Indiana statehouse for the Red for Ed Action Day Rally, our Governor was cowering a thousand miles away. This snub did not go unnoticed. That very evening, he boasted on social media about how big a chunk of the state budget … Continue reading Indiana Governor Holcomb Continues to Insult and Taunt Public School Teachers.
