http://blog.mlive.com/headoftheclass/enMon, 14 Jul 2008 17:09:23 -0500Movable Type Enterprise 1.52 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/no1600380http://www.feedburner.comhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/headoftheclass/~3/335515437/ford_museum_has_quite_a_lineup.htmlDave Murray | The Grand Rapids PressMon, 14 Jul 2008 17:09:23 -0500tag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/headoftheclass//2266.1179619 ]]>Press Photo/Katie BarnesA display wall of the tribute gallery at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum. Schools, baseball and presidents -- that just about sums up my areas of interest. Apparently whomever plans the programs at the Gerald R. Ford...http://blog.mlive.com/headoftheclass/2008/07/ford_museum_has_quite_a_lineup.htmlhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/headoftheclass/~3/331676630/revising_the_recipe_for_no_chi.htmlNo Child Left BehindDave Murray | The Grand Rapids PressMon, 14 Jul 2008 14:24:13 -0500tag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/headoftheclass//2266.1166006 ]]>I was at my favorite Southwestern grill not long ago waiting for the kid behind the counter to assemble my chicken and three-cheese nachos while she prepared the burrito of the customer ahead of me. Each time the worker scooped...http://blog.mlive.com/headoftheclass/2008/07/revising_the_recipe_for_no_chi.htmlhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/headoftheclass/~3/326039783/would_name_change_help_algebra.htmlDave Murray | The Grand Rapids PressThu, 03 Jul 2008 14:09:44 -0500tag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/headoftheclass//2266.1146157 ]]>State Sen. Wayne Kuipers As Shakespeare wrote, a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. But would Algebra 2 be as difficult if it were called something else? State Sen. Wayne Kuipers, R-Holland, recently told a gathering of...http://blog.mlive.com/headoftheclass/2008/07/would_name_change_help_algebra.htmlhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/headoftheclass/~3/315475711/while_working_on_my_stories.htmlEducationDave Murray | The Grand Rapids PressThu, 19 Jun 2008 10:09:37 -0500tag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/headoftheclass//2266.1098516 ]]>While working on my stories about alternative schools and dropouts, I thought some of the students I interviewed probably didn't realize how much better off their lives will be if they completed their education. But an education advocacy group says...http://blog.mlive.com/headoftheclass/2008/06/while_working_on_my_stories.htmlhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/headoftheclass/~3/308521361/graduation_memories_and_the_we.htmlEducationDave Murray | The Grand Rapids PressMon, 09 Jun 2008 22:27:32 -0500tag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/headoftheclass//2266.1065369 ]]>OK, a show of hands. Who enjoys going to graduation ceremonies? The only thing I remember about my junior high graduation ceremony was sitting in a sweltering gymnasium in a cap and gown while our orchestra attempted what the program...http://blog.mlive.com/headoftheclass/2008/06/graduation_memories_and_the_we.htmlhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/headoftheclass/~3/305645272/another_way_of_teaching_algebr.htmlEducationDave Murray | The Grand Rapids PressThu, 05 Jun 2008 16:45:55 -0500tag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/headoftheclass//2266.1053066 ]]> Before all the Grand Rapids Public Schools attendance issues got folks excited, I worked on a Sunday project about challenges faced by alternative education programs. They're facing several hurdles, but the largest seems to be the state's new graduation...http://blog.mlive.com/headoftheclass/2008/06/another_way_of_teaching_algebr.htmlhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/headoftheclass/~3/305549797/parent_offers_advice_to_bernar.htmlGRPSDave Murray | The Grand Rapids PressThu, 05 Jun 2008 14:41:44 -0500tag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/headoftheclass//2266.1052368 ]]>Former Grand Rapids Board of Education member Jim Rinck said the district's attendance policy and grading is "the No. 1 water cooler conversation topic in the city." My e-mail box has been filling up. Here's a letter from Annie Young,...http://blog.mlive.com/headoftheclass/2008/06/parent_offers_advice_to_bernar.htmlhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/headoftheclass/~3/304807055/readers_react_to_grand_rapids.htmlGRPSDave Murray | The Grand Rapids PressWed, 04 Jun 2008 14:37:11 -0500tag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/headoftheclass//2266.1047976 ]]>Barring something happening in the next two days, my daughter will complete the school year with perfect attendance. As far as I can tell, she's the first person in my family to pull this off, even looking back at my...http://blog.mlive.com/headoftheclass/2008/06/readers_react_to_grand_rapids.htmlhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/headoftheclass/~3/303998047/readers_react_to_alternative_e.htmlEducationFeedbackTeachersDave Murray | The Grand Rapids PressTue, 03 Jun 2008 15:34:18 -0500tag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/headoftheclass//2266.1043724 ]]>Lots of interesting comments from readers regarding my Sunday story regarding the challenges facing alternative education programs, particularly the state's new graduation requirements. This came from Sherri Hoard, of Lowell, and she raises some interesting questions: "I have a son...http://blog.mlive.com/headoftheclass/2008/06/readers_react_to_alternative_e.htmlhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/headoftheclass/~3/299405185/some_districts_have_shorter_sc.htmlDave Murray | Head of the Class blog | The Grand Rapids PressTue, 27 May 2008 16:42:38 -0500tag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/headoftheclass//2266.1021191 ]]>Here's one more nugget from the stack of statistics I received from the Kent County Education Association about teachers salaries. I guess I always assumed that teachers across the county worked about the same number of days. Not so, according...http://blog.mlive.com/headoftheclass/2008/05/some_districts_have_shorter_sc.htmlhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/headoftheclass/~3/295205578/which_district_pays_teachers_t.htmlEducationTeachersDave Murray | The Grand Rapids PressWed, 21 May 2008 10:42:21 -0500tag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/headoftheclass//2266.1002591 ]]>Stats on pay make several assumptions. I can't say I've ever thought of a teacher as a millionaire. But among the mountain of statistics union leaders handed me this week was a chart showing lifetime earnings of a teacher in...http://blog.mlive.com/headoftheclass/2008/05/which_district_pays_teachers_t.htmlhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/headoftheclass/~3/289460984/concerned_citizen_speaks_out_o.htmlFeaturedFeatured homepageDave Murray | The Grand Rapids PressMon, 19 May 2008 07:29:25 -0500tag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/headoftheclass//2266.974866 ]]>Last week's story about Grand Rapids Public Schools allowing students a second chance at making up missed or poorly done assignments generated some interest. I got an e-mail from Janet Ardis, a "concerned parent, citizen, and taxpayer," and thought I'd...http://blog.mlive.com/headoftheclass/2008/05/concerned_citizen_speaks_out_o.htmlhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/headoftheclass/~3/278556004/perspective_of_a_teachers_unio.htmlEducationDave Murray | The Grand Rapids PressSat, 26 Apr 2008 19:31:53 -0500tag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/headoftheclass//2266.925949 ]]>Tim Kraus Tim Kraus taught social studies and educational technology in the Cincinnati Public Schools for 10 years before becoming president of the district's teachers union. But he's still teaching, in a way. I learned much from him about the...http://blog.mlive.com/headoftheclass/2008/04/perspective_of_a_teachers_unio.htmlhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/headoftheclass/~3/278014777/consultant_unions_need_to_help.htmlEducationDave Murray | The Grand Rapids PressFri, 25 Apr 2008 21:38:54 -0500tag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/headoftheclass//2266.924071 ]]> Teachers unions should be responsible for improving teachers, not just getting them better paid. David Sherman told me that was the belief of his mentor, American Federation of Teachers founder Albert Shanker. I had the opportunity to sit with...http://blog.mlive.com/headoftheclass/2008/04/consultant_unions_need_to_help.htmlhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/headoftheclass/~3/277058058/im_still_in_chicago_learning.htmlEducationDave Murray | Head of the Class blog | The Grand Rapids PressThu, 24 Apr 2008 12:07:37 -0500tag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/headoftheclass//2266.918662 ]]>I'm still in Chicago learning more about teachers unions at my Hechinger Institute conference. Today we started with the always hot topic of salaries and other compensation. Unions typically negotiate a salary "schedule" that pays teachers based both on their...http://blog.mlive.com/headoftheclass/2008/04/im_still_in_chicago_learning.htmlnonadult