Back to School

Yup, it is once again time to get ready for back to school.  As the last days of July come to a close, and August begins, students and teachers, learners and educators, parents and administrators, all stakeholders in education must get ready to go back to school and welcome the 2015-16 school year.

MRCR Education has been getting ready to welcome the new school year, continue our commitment to education, and fulfill our mission of sharing our vision of providing professional educational services in the areas of ELD, STEAM, and HAST.

On Friday, July 31st. our Chief Educator will be attending and live tweeting from "Better Together: California Teachers Summit" http://www.cateacherssummit.com/ at the CSU East Bay campus as we join teachers and education leaders as we share thoughts and ideas on how to serve our students best, while helping them achieve California Education Standards.

Here's to the new school year.  That it may begin and stay positive while providing a safe and secure learning environment in which growth and development can blossom.  Here's to the 2015-16 School Year


Manuel R, CortezRodas - Chief Educator/Founder

Copyright 2015.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

Evaluating Teachers on Student's Grades

As a student my responsibilities were to: 1) go to class, 2) pay attention, and 3) get good grades.  The first of these responsibilities was quite easy to master and achieve.  The second and third responsibilities not so much.

As a student, teacher evaluations were not of concern.  Among classmates, unofficial teacher evaluations ranged from nice to mean, from easy to hard.  These teacher evaluations did not follow a specified metric for performance.  There was no 10 point scale, or letter grade, or rubric.  It was just what was determined among classmates.

Now I must state, looking back at my years in K-12 education, that I have never had a bad teacher.  There were those who were mean, and those who were nice.  There were those who kicked me out of class, and those who let me hang around.  Those who were good, and those who were great.  Those who over time became forgotten faded memories, and those who will always be remembered.

Each one of the teachers from Kindergarten to 12th grade did their best at teaching me what was expected to study and learn at each grade level.  I, as a student, did not always do my best, and this was reflected in my grades.

The idea of teacher evaluations has become a point of debate and disagreement among  educators, parents, administrators, and teachers.  To be more specific, the idea of teacher evaluations based on student grades has become an argumentative point in education assessment.

This image represents a fairly accurate reflection of my overall grade history from K to 12.  It is not in any way a fair representation of the professional performance each teacher gave at each grade level.   To base a professional academic evaluation on just one metric would be unprofessional.

Evaluating teachers on student's grades is an important argument to be made as part of academic assessment.  Teachers should be evaluated and must be evaluated for the benefit of their profession and their career growth.  Schools and Districts should carefully consider how to evaluate teachers for the benefit of the students as they learn and grow into future career professionals.


Manuel R. CortezRodas - Chief Educator/Founder

Copyright 2015.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

2014-15 Year in Education

2014-15 Year in Education

A selection of education quotes from MRCR Education posts.

Independent Education

"...be independent seekers of education."  "To take charge of our own education.  ...pursuit further knowledge for the betterment of ourselves and the benefit of others."


Back to School

"By the Labor Day holiday, education is back in session, and a new school year has begun.  Our focus continues to be on the betterment of education for all."


Harvesting Education

"Education is the fruit that we harvest at the end of a long season of learning."  " Learning is a long and arduous journey whose season is just beginning."


Education Implementation

"How to define Education Implementation...education covers a diverse range of skills and knowledge...Education Implementation is best defined with a specific set of parameters..."


A Thank You to Education

"Education is good."  "We should be thankful for education, and give thanks to all who have help guide us through our path."


Education in Winter

"This is when education begins that climb up the steep incline of the middle of the school year."  "...students should have developed a solid foundation of what is being studied... Teachers should have developed an understanding for the class..."

Welcome Back

"There are 6 months left until the end of the year, and there will be plenty of events and activities..."  "Are there any students who may be at risk ... if no support is made available to them?"

STEAM Education

"It has become (quite) clear that STEAM Education in the Bay Area has ... taken root throughout the education community ... sprouted the interest of local businesses, community leaders, and elected officials."

Spring on Ahead

"...educators ... prepare today's learners and students so they may become seekers of higher education and developers of professional careers."  "STEAM Education has (become) an important part of education throughout the Bay Area and beyond."

Spring

"... continue presenting and sharing information that can be of assistance to educators."  "Spring brings the signs of rebirth."

Education Assessment

"The time we have left in our classrooms, now begins to be measured in weeks and final days."  "... invite students, teachers, educators, and parents, to take some time to reflect and self-assess."

Closing the School Year

"The class of 2015 is now on their way to the next stage in their educational path."  "... take this moment to say 'Thank You' to all students, parents, and educators for all the hard work and effort."

Manuel R. CortezRodas - Chief Educator/Founder

Copyright 2015.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

Happy 4th of July

Happy 4th of July!

Enjoy the festivities.

Be safe.  Have fun.

Manuel R. CortezRodas - Chief Educator/Founder

Copyright 2015.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

2014-2015 Education Year Review (Part II)

It is time to take a look back at this past 2014-15 education year.

During this year, MRCR Education continued to grow and develop, much was learned and experienced in education through the studying, learning, teaching, and assessing of different areas.

Here is a look back, at quotes, from posts published during the second half of the year:

January 2015

Welcome Back

"There are 6 months left until the end of the year, and there will be plenty of events and activities..."  "Are there any students who may be at risk ... if no support is made available to them?"

February 2015

STEAM Education

"It has become (quite) clear that STEAM Education in the Bay Area has ... taken root throughout the education community ... sprouted the interest of local businesses, community leaders, and elected officials."

March 2015

Spring On Ahead

"...educators ... prepare today's learners and students so they may become seekers of higher education and developers of professional careers."  "STEAM Education has (become) an important part of education throughout the Bay Area and beyond."

April 2015

Spring

"... continue presenting and sharing information that can be of assistance to educators."  "Spring brings the signs of rebirth."

May 2015

Education Assessment

"The time we have left in our classrooms, now begins to be measured in weeks and final days."  "... invite students, teachers, educators, and parents, to take some time to reflect and self-assess."

June 2015

Closing the School Year

"The class of 2015 is now on their way to the next stage in their educational path."  "... take this moment to say 'Thank You' to all students, parents, and educators for all the hard work and effort."

Manuel R. CortezRodas - Chief Educator/Founder

Copyright 2015.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

July 2015

It is July.
School is in summer session.
Education is in summer season.
Learning continues.
Studying is taking place.
The teaching of knowledge and skills goes on.

This is when educators can take time to review the lessons learned from this past academic year of 2014-15.  Educators should take the time to review this lessons and study them with care.  Reviewing prior lessons and studying them makes educators better at teaching, as it is part of the formative assessment educators must do themselves to grow professionally.

As we celebrate Independence Day this 4th of July, let us take time to reflect back on what has been achieved this past year, and look forward to the year ahead.



Manuel R. CortezRodas - Chief Educator/Founder

Copyright 2015.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.