Denise Fawcett Facey

Often using this space to spotlight innovations in education, I particularly like this one. Utah middle-school teacher Leslie Briggs discovered that using sign language with her hearing students produced several positive effects: improved behavior management, increased literacy and greater student participation. As a result of her findings and the terrific outcomes achieved with her students, Ms. Briggs is now teaching this practice to other educators. (more…)

There’s been a great deal of criticism of the No Child Left Behind law, which was the cornerstone of former President Bush’s education policy. Now, President Obama has put forth several changes to this beleaguered and somewhat ill-conceived legislation. Not only am I glad to see it overhauled, I applaud several specific proposed changes. (more…)

According to an article published by the Washington Post earlier this month, a survey of 40,000 teachers reveals that several factors are significantly more important to teachers than money. Leading the list of incentives for teachers was supportive leadership. Many also spoke up for (more…)

Remember when poetry meant memorizing lines by Emily Dickinson or Robert Frost, and then reciting or writing them for an exam? Well, times have changed. Chicago high school teacher Peter Kahn—who teaches not English but Spoken Word—has developed a Spoken Word Club whose impact is such that graduates return, to extend a helping hand to others, as members of his Motivational Mentorship panel. (more…)

You already knew that the average kid is far more advanced in modern technology than most adults, didn’t you? But, did you know that even without any prompting from a teacher, three- and four-year-olds can navigate an iPod and learn a multitude of skills quite easily? The mental picture alone makes me smile and that it’s a true story makes it even better. (more…)