Trump Announces Next Secretary of Education, Guess What, She is Not an Educator!

The next Secretary of Education has been named and again it is not an educator. Why does our Presidents and state leaders think it is ok to appoint someone as Secretary of Education who has never taught? Our Surgeon General is a doctor, the US Attorney General is a lawyer – so why is the Secretary of Education, one of the most important jobs, not required to be an educator? Every four or eight years a new federal education plan is introduced and the students are the experiment. We have no stability when it comes to our educational system here in the US. Things will never change when we keep appointing the wrong people. Things will never change when we have billionaires who do not normally send their children to public schools and who are making decisions about how to best serve our kids.

Click here to read Betsy DeVos Bio.

National PTA has just lost its credibility!

The PTA has grown into a powerful lobbyist over the years. My children attended Forest Oak Elementary School where I was very involved with the PTA–I served on many committees and was elected president for a total of four years. Our PTA received many awards from Delaware PTA while I was president. I have to say that I am beyond disappointed in the letter that was sent to the DE PTA. I never thought I would see the day that a national association who’s primary mission is to advocate on behalf of children would send this message to parents!

Below is from the National PTA website where they speak of family engagement. The letter they sent seems to point towards family disengagement.

Today’s PTA is a network of millions of families, students, teachers, administrators, and business and community leaders devoted to the educational success of children and the promotion of family engagement in schools. 

Here is the letter that was sent to Delaware PTA.

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Questions from DE PTA to National PTA and National PTA’s response.

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What Happened to Kindergarten?

I have been meeting with teachers with Mike Matthews and what I have learned, there are no more play times for our children during their day. Yes, every grade in elementary school has recess but kindergarten students are being pushed and pushed and pushed. They do not have extra recess. They do not dress up or play house. They do not allow for make believe. Our kindergarten children are in school all day without a nap or any down time.

Both of my children (both had an IEP entering kindergarten) went to kindergarten for 2 1/2 hours a day and learned their letters and numbers, even mastered a little bit of reading but most of all they learned to love school. They learned to use their minds to pretend and to have dreams and they made friends. We made cupcakes, we had class parties, and we had fun all in 2 1/2 hours. We have taken all that away from them. We are creating a generation of children who will grow up being stressed or disliking school.

I thought kindergarten was suppose to be fun, letting children explore. I am so thankful that my children did not have to go to school for the entire day, they are five years old and have nine to ten hour days, think about it. They are sitting behind tables working all day long with no fun. Children learn at that age by exploring, creating and watching other children. When is this craziness going to stop?

Reading Assist Institute New Initiate

Reading Assist Press Conference

Today, I attended a press conference where Reading Assist Institute launched RAI Reading Corps, pilot program designed to aid children who struggle to read. RAI Reading Corps interventionist will work one-on-one, five days a week, with 1st through 3rd grade students who attend school in the Colonial School District.

(Below was taken from press release.)

Reading Assist will work with educators inside the Colonial School District to implement and refine the program over the next three years. Teachers, reading specialists, literacy coaches and speech language therapist from Colonial have taken training in RAI’s reading intervention program, which will create opportunities for significant cooperation and understanding between AmeriCorps tutors and educators within the district.

The RAI Reading Corps is unique in the amount of training that members will receive before going into schools, and in the type of students that these reading interventionist will serve. Every RAI Reading Corps member will spend approximately 50 hours training in the RAI reading intervention program. Coaching and ongoing professional development in literacy will provide additional support to the Reading Corps members. The program is designed to help students who face even the most severe reading challenges .

The 15 AmeriCorps members who make up the RAI Reading Corps bring with them a great diversity of backgrounds and experiences, from recent college graduates to educators with 17 years of experience.

Reading Assist Website