Excellence is the accumulation of hundreds of minute decisions; it is execution at the most granular level. Once you accept the idea that you should give in to things that make no sense because other people do those things and you want to appear reasonable, you are on a path towards mediocrity.
We must renew our commitment to instilling high moral character in our students, to teaching them to treat each other with kindness, to stand up for what is right, and to respect the diversity of backgrounds and experiences that strengthen our country.
I am a Democrat and disagree with virtually all of President Trump's policy positions, including those on healthcare, LGBTQ rights, civil rights, immigration, global warming, gun control, and tax 'reform.'
Success isn't ideal for every child. If we think a child would do better in a different school, whether it's a specialized program or just a school with a different approach, we'll tell a parent that, as we should.
If student A 'impacts' student B with a fist, they shouldn't 'dialogue as equals.' Student A should be disciplined. When you assault your co-worker or curse out your boss, you don't get a 'restorative circle' - you get fired.
Self-delusion is rarely a good strategy for effective management.
I believe Betsy DeVos has the talent, commitment, and leadership capacity to revitalize our public schools and deliver the promise of opportunity that excellent education provides, and I support her nomination as U.S. Secretary of Education.
I want kids to be able to escape failing schools that trap them. And it's an unequal trapping of children. The most affluent find a way to escape. They move to a great suburban district or send their kid to a private school. The people who are trapped in the worst schools that have been terrible often for half a century? Those are the poorest kids.
I wouldn't be educating children if I did not believe in human potential.
I am from an F.D.R. liberal-Democratic family. With proximity to government, I have become more libertarian.
Attacking school segregation requires all hands on deck. We in the charter sector must move beyond our traditional comfort zone, serving disadvantaged students, and meet the demands of parents who have other high quality options.
Sometimes when kids look like they're daydreaming, it's because they are, and we can't allow that possibility.
Suspensions convey the critical message to students and parents that certain behavior is inconsistent with being a member of the school community. Pretend suspensions, in which a student is allowed to remain in the school community, do not convey that message.
It is very challenging to have a kind of data-driven, performance-oriented culture and to do progressive pedagogy. These things don't naturally, or easily, go together.