


The New Flight Plan
The last few days have been a whirlwind. As a teacher, I felt a sense of uneasiness that was similar to my first day of student teaching. I remembered all those old questions: Was I prepared? How would I handle any issues if/when they arose? How would my students...
Virtual Integrity and the Digital Citizen
Integrity is a key virtue for today’s culture, says Sister Geralyn Schmidt, education technology coordinator for the Diocese of Harrisburg (PA). “In today’s world, each of us who has a digital footprint makes two impressions: one in the real world and one in the virtual world. The words and attitudes that we use in both arenas must match. When we achieve this, we become someone whom others can truly rely upon.”
Does Your School Need a Culture Re-Boot?
As a new book by Kaplan and Owings clearly demonstrates, many schools are mired in an education culture that’s a poor match for the needs of today’s K12 students. They need a culture re-boot – a process explored in detail by the authors and summarized by PLP Voices reviewer Sister Geralyn Schmidt.
Support Teacher 101
Pulling children out for extra help can be a tricky area to navigate, writes Arwen Kuttner, reflecting on her first year in a support teacher role. “Elementary age children walk a tightrope between craving the individual attention I can give them, and the fear that others will think less of them for needing that attention. I have to normalize the experience and make them feel good about coming.” Here are some ways she works to accomplish that.
Break Down, Rebuild, Start Fresh
Taking the posture of a learner first, educator second requires us to understand that we will never arrive at the place of “super educator.†The truth is that even if we solve the problems facing us as a profession, the solutions will only give way to new problems. Now more than ever we need to become the learners we have always wanted our students to be. We do not need information about teaching and learning. We need revelation.