VIVA Teachers
a different way to make a difference
Teacher Blog Posts
My Journey from Teacher to Teacher Leader
Participating in the VIVA MET Writing Collaborative has been a life-changing experience for Kelly Waller.
Do You Complain and Suffer in Silence, Too?
By Kwesi Ndzibah Every teacher I know has complained about the “higher ups,” and how things would be different if they “just listened to us.” Too often, feeling over matched, they acquiesce and then fall back into cynicism, certain “they” wouldn’t listen anyway. Several years ago, while teaching 8th grade math in New York City, [...]
Between the Letter of the Law and the Interpretation
Mark Anderson worries that by adhering too strictly to Common Core standards, we risk overlooking the role of literature in ELA.
Teacher Video Posts & Podcast
3 Easy Steps to
Create Your Own Video:
- Head to
http://youtube.com/my_webcam - Follow the onscreen instructions to record a video on Common Core, teacher prep, teacher evalution, the school day or any other education policy topic and upload it to your YouTube account.
Don't have a YouTube account? See "How to Create a YouTube Account"
Quick Tips
Recommended video length - 60 seconds or less
Write content and practice before you record! - After the video is finished uploading, grab its URL and paste it in our submission box!
How to get URL
1. Press UPLOAD after you have finished recording
2. Fill in Title & Description information
3. Press VIEW ON VIDEO PAGE (upper right hand side)
4. Copy the URL in your browser
5. Paste it into our submission box!
Once Upon a Time …
Glenn Morehouse Olson has some thoughts on testing and evaluation. Glenn Morehouse Olson teaches high school journalism, theater, writing, and literature in St. Francis, Minn. She participated in the VIVA Minnesota Idea Exchange on principal evaluation.
More from the Blog
Current Events & Policy
Teacher leadership: How about some autonomy?
By Kim Farris-Berg, Special to VIVA Teachers Let’s drop our assumptions about the nature of teaching jobs, and imagine something … Read More
Idea Exchange Updates
VIVA MET Teachers Meet with U.S. Dept. of Education
On May 14, 10 teachers, who participated in the VIVA Measures of Effective Teaching (MET) Idea Exchange, traveled to Washington, DC, for … Read More
VIVA in the News
VIVA Teachers work highlighted in Education Next
From a piece by Richard Lee Colvin. Each of these anecdotes represents a facet of a small but rapidly growing national movement to give … Read More
Why Education Reform Needs Data
by Lesley Hagelgans