Arthur Goldstein, who teaches ESL and English in a Queens, New York, high school, writes a consistently excellent blog (nyceducator.com).
In this post, he raises an intriguing question: Why is that reformers can criticize teachers nonstop and say ridiculous things about them but get twisted into paroxysms of outrage if anyone dares to defend teachers or–heavens–their right to belong to a union?
Goldstein is one of our very best teacher bloggers. What makes a teacher blogger excellent? First, they write from their experience and know what they are talking about. Two, they write well, without jargon. Three, they have occasional (and sometimes more than occasional) flashes of humor. Four, they are unafraid.
Do you know other great teacher bloggers? Please call out their names. I want to follow them.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Do you read these replies? HOW TO GET OFF THIS WEBSITE? YOu don’t provide unsubscribing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!
LikeLike
Why would you want to leave Artws@aol.com?
If you opt to do so, then go to the bottom of the email post to: Unsubscribe or change your email settings at Manage Subscriptions.Just follow the directions. It’s so simple.
LikeLike
I am going to count this as one of my weekly 26 acts of kindness. Look at the bottom of a post you have received today. See this:
Unsubscribe or change your email settings at Manage Subscriptions.
Trouble clicking? Copy and paste this URL into your browser:
Follow the directions. It is very easy. You have to do it yourself. This requires the ability to read and follow directions. You can do it so please do.
You’re very welcome Artws.
God bless you and your family.
LikeLike
we had the same idea, Linda. I emailed hi/m/her and took care of it right after the comment was posted.
random acts overlap!
LikeLike
Teachers never stop teaching!
LikeLike
Go us! Maybe we can replace Arne….evidently anyone would do a better job.
LikeLike
Here is a fabulous one. http://educationalchemy.com/
LikeLike
Because it is an effective defense and they can’t argue the subject on merit.
LikeLike
Two to recommend. Both started out with a tech focus but now write on bigger issues, seamlessly connecting local concerns to national trends.
Tim Furman at School Tech Connect I enjoy most his gentle rage.
.
Tom Hoffman at Tuttle SVC. He’s relentless on Common Core ELA idiocy.
LikeLike
I like recently-retired art teacher Fred Klonsky from Chicago http://preaprez.wordpress.com/
LikeLike
Ditto that. Also, Fred’s brother Mike is worth a read too: http://michaelklonsky.blogspot.com/
LikeLike
Three’s a charm:
Snappy, funny writing from a once-upon-a-time TFA, and now career teacher in San Francisco. She teaches kindergarten, providing a rare perspective:
http://elementaryrat.blogspot.com/?m=0
New Jersey science teacher, funny, eclectic commentary on real teaching and ed politics as well: http://doyle-scienceteach.blogspot.com/?m=0
You may already know this one. Professor of psychology in Virginia writing wonderful posts connecting psychology, human behavior and education politics:
http://cedarsdigest.wordpress.com/
Here’s a great recent post from his site:
I hope the links work…
Cheers!
LikeLike
Thanks Barbara and Dienne. Let me add my two Illinois blogging brethren: John Dillon http://pension-vocabulary.blogspot.com and Glen Brown http://teacherpoetmusicianglenbrown.blogspot.com
LikeLike
I do check out the Living in Dialog posts by Anthony Cody regularly. Since I”m in the DC Metro Area, I also read The Answer Sheet (Valerie Strauss) and Class Struggles (Jay Matthews) regularly. I don’t always agree with their posts, but many of them are timely and locally-relevant for me, like the post about Joshua Starr (superintendent in my own school system now). The comments sections sometimes feature some good zingers from others I respect, like Carol Burris and Karl Wheatley, so I follow them too. 🙂
I blog, or “blog” (blog-in-quotes), but hardly enough to make a dent – maybe a post a month, twice if I’m on a tear. *grin* I did blog a letter to Dr. Starr back at the start of the school year AND send it to him and the BoE, but no reply from him or any other BoE member (except an auto-reply from someone whose vacation had actually ended weeks before). That’s how two-bit I am. LOL And that’s why I hang out here, among other virtual places. 🙂
LikeLike
Jersey Jazzman is a state treasure here in NJ.
LikeLike
As long as we’re giving shout-outs, let’s not forget Ms. Katie, even though I know you’re already aware of her, Diane.
LikeLike
http://www.runningreflectionswi.com/ Karen Vieth, Madison, WI.
LikeLike
Most of us are foot soldiers who blog about our experience in the trenches (i.e. best practice and classroom instruction). Personally, I have only dabbled once with issues, and that was to point out the flaw of certain flipped classroom “research” http://teacherleaders.wordpress.com/2012/11/24/slop-py-research-from-the-flipped-learning-network-via-classroomwindow-com/
However, here is a collection of blogs from teachers participating in November’s A Day in the Life of an Educator http://ditlife.tumblr.com/
And here is a Google reader collection of middle school math bloggers. http://www.google.com/reader/bundle/user%2F16376496527405847398%2Fbundle%2FMiddle%20School%20Math%20Blogs
Diane, perhaps if you challenged us to blog about certain issues, then collect it similar to the Day in the Life, it would make our voices stronger.
LikeLike
I do agree with the above comments that you do have excellent bloggers out there providing insight, extensive anaylsis, and detailed discussion of the various education issues in our nation. You also have good bloggers such as chazschooldaze, ednotesonline, accountabletalk and southbronxschool making their contribution in the NYC blogosphere. But, I am very partial to Arthur’s blog and his untiring dedication to enlighten the public, whether your a teacher, a parent, or the chancellor.
LikeLike
You should definitely read John T. Spencer at Education Rethink. He is a classroom teacher in Arizona and a brilliant writer.
LikeLike
dear diane,
i am a veteran teacher of 19 years, nationally board certifeid, and teach a low income immigrant population. i am also an editorial illustrator with works in the new york times, the chicago tribune, the sacramento bee, the society of illustrators, and the americam photography/american illustration show. my work is a tool for advocacy, and i believe firmly in the power of the image to speak more than a thousand words against this horrendous reform movement in public educaiton.
i recently put out a blog, and anyone and everyone who is like minded is invited to use the images in a free license with my express permission to incorporate into their advocacy material, in any medium they wish. the blog is about the education reform and all the reasons why it’s a catastrophe.
this is a very different sort of blog; it’s almost all imagery and no words.
illustrations from my blog have been featured on stephen krashen’s “schools matter”, “susan ohanian”, “change the stakes”, “education notes”, to name a few.
the blog is at:
http://thetruthoneducationreform.blogspot.com/?view=snapshot
it is my sincere hope that everyone who is pushing back against this nefarious coporate reform in educaiton use my free images as much as they’d like. this is no promotion or sales pitch. in trying to be pro-active, i want to empower my fellow colleagues in what promises to be a difficult and complicated fight to preserve educaiton as a public trust.
this is not just a fight for the equitable educaiton of all childlren; it’s a fight for democracy.
thank you for all the work you do, diane. i hope you know how valued you and your work are by parents and educators alike throughout the country.
sincerely,
robert rendo
LikeLike
I cannot go a day without reading this blog, Fred Klonsky and NYCEd (who now has a very articulate “Formerly ATR” writing from yet a different point of view). I also enjoy reading “Pissed Off Teacher,” as she is now writing as a retired NYC public school teacher and a part-time college instructor, so she covers yet another perspective.
I can’t leave out Mr. Teachbad–his posts are more infrequent, as he hasn’t been teaching (and read past ones to see why), but, if you haven’t read him, go back and read past posts–his Fake Education News is hilarious, as are his commenters.
Finally, he’s the one who recommended Todd Farley’s book, and that’s how I came to read it.
LikeLike
Mr. Teachbad and Arthur Goldstein are tonic to get through the day.
LikeLike
Raise Your Hand Illinois is a very good blog with excellent opinion and research.
LikeLike
I have a blog and am a public school teacher of six years. thelivingteacher.com
LikeLike