Teaching & Learning Blog

Road Trips in Education

David B. Cohen is a veteran high school English teacher from Palo Alto, Calif., and former associate director of Accomplished California Teachers. When he was on sabbatical, he used the time to travel to schools throughout California and write a book about his experiences. Follow him on Twitter @CohenD. This blog is no longer being updated.

Teaching Opinion Unpacking After 'Road Trips'
The road trips have ended, so it's time for a final blog post at "Road Trips in Education." I'll continue blogging at EdWeek Teacher, under the title "Capturing the Spark."
David B. Cohen, September 14, 2015
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3 min read
Teaching Opinion The Limitations of Imitation
Having just resumed my English teaching duties back at my school, I recall the other high school English teachers I saw on my journey. Each of them has given me something to think about as I try to return to form, and then grow in my profession.
David B. Cohen, August 30, 2015
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4 min read
Teaching Opinion The Future of EdCamp
Edcamp is a great model of grassroots organization and participant leadership- so what happens when larger numbers of people, organizations and institutions latch on that idea?
David B. Cohen, August 17, 2015
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6 min read
Teaching Opinion Is Teacher Learning a 'Mirage'?
TNTP's report, "The Mirage," suggests that we're currently wasting a lot of money in failed attempts to help teachers who mostly lack self-awareness, vision, ambition, and the capacity for improvement.
David B. Cohen, August 10, 2015
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10 min read
Teaching Opinion Rolling in the Deep of Cultural Assumptions
My recent vacation produced a valuable lesson about life and learning, a reminder of how hard it is to turn off expectations and simply be open to what you find. The lesson began at the moment I changed my mind about walking out of a performance by a steel drum band.
David B. Cohen, July 24, 2015
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6 min read
Teaching Profession Opinion Tribute to Ron Thorpe
Ron Thorpe articulated a grand idea about improving the teaching profession and pursued it with gusto, never dissuaded by the scope of the challenge or the likelihood of some stumbles along the way.
David B. Cohen, July 1, 2015
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4 min read
Teaching Opinion Identity Safety Helps Students Thrive
Discussions of curriculum and instruction are integral to our profession, but at times we neglect some of the foundational concerns that enable or inhibit learning in the first place. That's the value of understanding identity safe classrooms.
David B. Cohen, June 19, 2015
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6 min read
Education Opinion College Dreams, Financial Nightmares
Since they were in elementary school, we've told our students that if they worked hard, they could go to college, that education was the path towards financial security. What if that's not true?
David B. Cohen, June 9, 2015
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5 min read
Education Opinion 'Defies Measurement' Illustrates Failures of Test-Focused Policy
In "Defies Measurement," Shannon Puckett has produced a documentary that illustrates what has been lost, and what we stand to lose, through the misuse of standardized test results to drive education reform.
David B. Cohen, June 3, 2015
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4 min read
Teaching Opinion End of the Road, Continuing the Journey
After visiting 63 schools spanning almost 900 miles of California, I'm done with the road trips - but the learning continues.
David B. Cohen, May 23, 2015
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5 min read
Teaching Opinion Reimagining Dialogue About the Teaching Profession
Reimagining the teaching profession is worthwhile, especially with teachers in the dialogue and leading the work - but must we also need to reimagine a wide range of social policies that are essential to improving children's lives.
David B. Cohen, May 13, 2015
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5 min read
Teaching Opinion The Future of School? "Most Likely to Succeed" Offers Ideas
A new documentary film, "Most Likely to Succeed," examines ways can improve schools and teaching to better prepare students for a future of rapid, almost unimaginable change.
David B. Cohen, May 3, 2015
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6 min read
School & District Management Opinion Trusting Our Students
When teachers are trusted to take student learning in new and exciting directions, they are in a position to extend that trust to students. It's a powerful step for those ready and willing to take it.
David B. Cohen, April 23, 2015
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7 min read
Education Opinion What Are They Cheering For?
If students can't do their best work unless adults hop, skip, strut, twist and shout about the test, we're doing something quite wrong in assessment, and in our messaging about education.
David B. Cohen, April 15, 2015
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4 min read
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