Evaluating teacher evaluations. A New York City teacher weighs his two options for being observed under the state’s teacher evaluation system and explains why he favors the formal observation option and the real-time feedback he receives. (Gotham Schools)
Arming school staff. Arkansas has allowed 13 school districts to arm teachers and staff, a plan that cost one school district $70,000. The “armed guards” will be trained properly by the licensed school districts and receive a stipend for the purchase of a gun. (U.S. News & World Report)
The future. Two California community college professors started Automated Teaching Machine, a comic strip that foresees robots taking over the teaching profession. The pair started the cartoon after their school introduced an automated reading machine that scores placement assessments. (Community College Spotlight)
New plans for testing. We reported last week on California’s plan to transition to new standardized tests aligned with the Common Core, this week the state legislature approved a bill that will allow schools to give one of the new tests this spring in either English or math. The schools are required to have the correct equipment for the computer-based tests; schools that are not equipped will be allowed to skip the tests altogether. (Southern California Public Radio)
