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Minnesota district & charters wisely retaining & revising recess, not...
Joe NathanRemember recess? Was it a relief? Are your memories mostly about fun and games? Or was it sometimes traumatic, with kids picking on you or others? Turns out that there’s a lot of...
View ArticleMajor differences between Obama and Romney in education
Joe NathanThere could be major differences for students and schools, depending on who is elected President. That became clear after reviewing websites of Governor Mitt Romney and President Barack...
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Helping youngsters think about this year's elections
Joe NathanHow can we help young people think thoughtfully about this year’s vigorous, sometimes bitter election campaigns?This can be a great week to help young people gain a better understanding and...
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27 Minnesota education leaders suggest priorities for President Obama and...
Joe NathanWhat should the top educational priority be for Congress and the Obama Administration? Twenty-seven Minnesota education leaders responded when I asked this question recently. Their responses...
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Karin Winegar pens two great books for kids about people and animals
Joe NathanLet’s start today with Tina the tiny horse. Well, perhaps not tiny. But small, and injured when kicked by another horse shortly after being born. Not viewed as very promising as a...
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Penny, Pete, Paul and the power of public education
Joe NathanIn some ways, Penny, Pete and Paul were very different. Penny was a blonde, blue-eyed teenager who grew up on a farm in East Central Minnesota, with 10 younger brothers and sisters. Pete, who...
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More than 50 Minnesota Ed leaders suggest top legislative priorities in...
Joe NathanWhat are the top recommendations to Minnesota legislators from superintendents, charter public school directors, union and other leaders? Fifty-one of 54 leaders responded when I contacted...
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BEST Academy will be honored May 10 as one of most effective schools in US...
Joe Nathan BEST Academy “ has an impressive record of educating Black boys at the highest levels of achievement, outperforming all other schools in Minneapolis and across the state…BEST academy is a...
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Free webinars will discuss how families can save thousands of dollars in...
Joe NathanWant to increase the likelihood that a youngster will not only enter, but graduate from a one, two or four-year higher education program? Free, 30-minute webinars on June 6 and June 19, as...
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34 education leaders offer praise/perspective on 2013 Legislature
Joe NathanPraise and perspective – that’s what more than 30 Minnesota Education leaders offered recently when asked about the 2013 Minnesota legislature’s decisions on K-12 education. That includes...
View ArticleMinnesota Board of Teaching should respect principals' request re which...
Joe NathanWill the Minnesota Board of Teaching respect the request of a principal whose school has been praised by several sources as one of the metro areas leading “beat the odds schools?” We’ll find...
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Motorcyclist & mentor - Ron McKinley moved things ahead
Joe Nathan Ron McKinley loved motorcycles, and he loved to laugh. He especially loved riding Harley-Davidson motorcycles around the country. He also was a wonderfully effective mentor and advocate for...
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Encouraging news from Education Mn and TFA about preparing teachers for...
Joe NathanHere’s encouraging news as Minnesotans prepare for a new school year. The Minnesota State Board of Teaching, Education Minnesota, the state’s teacher union, and the St. Paul Federation of...
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State-wide survey shows schools changing to increase students' safety
Joe NathanIncreased student safety is very much on the minds of the more than 45 urban, suburban and rural Minnesota school leaders who responded to a recent survey. Many districts and charter public...
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NEA president's visit shows progress & potential problems with more $ to...
Joe NathanNational Education Association President Dennis Van Roekel’s recent visit to Bloomington highlighted the potential of more funding for early childhood education. Perhaps unexpectedly, the...
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Union, district & charter leaders urge discussion before families decide to...
Joe NathanShould parents have their children “opt out” (not participate) in local or statewide testing? Some anti-testing advocates are suggesting this. Last week more than 30 district, charter and...
View ArticleHonoring educators and schools that "have a profound impact on students"
Joe NathanWouldn’t it be valuable for Minnesota to honor – all together, in one place that thousands of people could visit – educators who have “had a profound impact on students”?Educators and schools...
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Every Body's In - a remarkable, growing coalition with & for young people
Joe Nathan What others have proposed, Mary K. Boyd, Gevonne Ford, Mary Cathryn Ricker and others have created. The “Every Body’s In” coalition, which recently held a series of meetings in...
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Teacher (field) trips can help students learn
Joe NathanLocal field trips for students are common, but not so much for teachers. But a Minnesota school recently took its teachers around neighborhoods they serve to help them understand more about...
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Encouraging responses to increasing Minnesota charter public school enrollment
Joe NathanHow are people reacting to the continued growth of charter school public enrollment in the Twin Cities and Minnesota? For the first time, more than 20 percent of all public school students...
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