I promised to follow up my last blog about demographics with a start to the process of writing your narrative. This is the heart and soul of your application.
Before you start, read the rules or application forms you have received from potential funding sources you've identified. Read them twice. With a federal grant, read them four times. You want to know about formatting, spacing, font (sometimes), number of pages, etc. You'll want to know if you can include an appendix beyond the...
Okay, there's no way around it, there are parts of the grant application process that are just plain boring. Last time, I finished a discussion about federal and state grants with a promise to discuss the narrative writing process for prospective grant seekers. Grant writers probably develop writer's block more often than any other writing niche, so it helps to have it all compartmentalized and routine. In our resources section, you'll find a sample of a "demographics" page for a grant...
“New and more innovative knowledge maps are now needed to help us navigate the complexities of our expanding landscape of knowledge.” — Charles Fadel
The Trivium and Quadrivium, medieval revival of classical Greek education theories, defined the seven liberal arts necessary as preparation for...
As teachers, we should carefully examine what we consider important in classrooms. For instance, what language, customs, mannerisms, and social graces do we value above others in school settings. The concept of cultural capital theory was proposed by Pierre Bourdieu and Jean-Claude Passeron (1977) to explain differences in academic achievement among children in France’s educational system in the 1960s. Cultural capital can be thought of as the collection of elements—tastes, clothing,...
In this world, we all live in a community. Some communities run better than others. Some people like their community, and some may want to move from where they live. What sets each community apart? Think about where you live and then think about a friend that lives in a different community. What are the things each has in common? What are the differences? Now think about all the classrooms you have been in. What...
Don’t try to innovate if you’re not prepared to make mistakes.
Steve Jobs once said that “about half of what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance.”
All innovators feel challenged at different points because it’s just part of the work. So how...
I have discovered a simple, yet effective way to remain inspired as a teacher. It costs nothing, does not take much time, and always works.
Before I reveal “my secret,” I want to address the topic of motivation and teacher burnout. The teacher dropout rate within the first, five years has ranged from 17 to as high as 50 percent, depending on what study you read. Nevertheless, teacher retention has remained a concern in the profession. If you have taught in k-12 public schools for any...