The Teaching Now blog explored the latest news on the teaching profession, from practical classroom tips to raging policy debates. This blog is no longer being updated, but you can continue to explore these issues on edweek.org by visiting our related topic pages: teaching, teaching profession, and curriculum.
Education
Columbus Day Controversies
Today is just like any other Monday for students in Los Angeles, Miami, and Dallas—but in Washington, D.C., New York City, and Chicago, schools are closed for what's become a contentious holiday, reports abcnews.com.
Student Well-Being & Movement
Students Protest Filth, Violence at School
Students at a New Jersey high school used Facebook to organize a protest of what they call a filthy, unsafe school environment.
School Climate & Safety
Do Union Contracts Get in the Way?
Jose Vilson takes serious issue with the notion—expressed indelibly by a young teacher in this video clip from NBC's Education Nation event—that union contracts prevent teachers from doing all that they can to help struggling students:
Teaching Profession
Union Boycotts Teacher Award Ceremony, Citing Tea Party Ties
A science and math coach in Brooklyn, N.Y., won $25,000 for teaching excellence--but the awarding foundation's connection to the Tea Party has since stirred up some controversy.
Education
Four Ways to Handle Student Behavior Problems
With the new school year in full swing, a number of school systems are experimenting with creative new methods to curb negative student behavior.
Families & the Community
Should Teachers Be On Call?
Ms. Cornelius objects strongly to the idea that dedicated teachers need to provide their cell phone numbers to parents:
Teaching Profession
Survey: British Teachers Struggling With Student Behavior, Too
A new survey making news in England has found that fully 70 percent of British teachers have contemplated quitting because of student-behavior problems.
Teaching Profession
'Naming and Shaming' Teachers?
Walt Gardner, a retired Los Angeles teacher, comments on the reported link between a fifth teacher's recent suicide and the L.A. Times publication of teacher rankings based on student test scores.
Education Funding
'This School Memo Sponsored By ...'
In an effort to offset budget cuts, a Massachusetts district is planning to put ads in school notices and letters sent home to parents.
Teaching Profession
Are There Alternatives to Standardized Tests?
If teachers dislike standardized test so much, why haven't they come with a better means of gauging student learning?
Teaching
Middle School Increases Class Sizes, College Style
A Texas middle school has modeled their classrooms after colleges, replacing a traditional one-teacher class with large, 75-student lecture courses being taught by between five and nine teachers.
School Choice & Charters
Can 'Superman' Save Teachers?
Can the controversial new education documentary elevate the arguments around teaching?
Reading & Literacy
The 'Subversive' Art of Teaching Grammar
Miss Eyre fesses up to a subversive act: teaching a lesson on the mechanics of writing.
Education
Teachers Welcomed in 'Education Nation'
NBC held a press conference at the National Press Conference on Wednesday and tried clear up confusion about teachers' inclusion in the upcoming Education Nation special.