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If You Teach or Write 5-Paragraph Essays--Stop It!

If You Teach or Write 5-Paragraph Essays--Stop It!
Part I: Introduction For  decades, too many high-school teachers have been instilling persuasive writing skills by teaching students the five-paragraph essay.  You know it: Introduction with three reasons Reason #1 Reason #2 Reason #3 A summary of all three reasons It’s bad writing.  It’s always been bad writing.  With the Common Core Standards designed to... Read more »
By Ray Salazar,
May 10, 2012 at 8:55 pm
• 55 comments

Good Chicago Public Schools Teachers Need Public Support

Good Chicago Public Schools Teachers Need Public Support
At yesterday’s press conference, Chicago Teachers’ Union Karen Lewis said, “We live in a city that no longer trusts educators as important resources in helping our youth to develop values, skills, and the knowledge required for them to enter adult life as thinking and engaged citizens.” She’s right. Many people think teachers have it really... Read more »
By Ray Salazar,
April 6, 2012 at 3:18 pm
• 8 comments

Little Village Girl, 6, Shot to Death on Front Porch

Little Village Girl, 6, Shot to Death on Front Porch
The Saturday afternoon shooting of a six-year-old little girl on the Southwest Side is tragic.  Ridiculous.  Enraging.  My son is six. When I lived in Little Village, I remember hearing gun shots from my bedroom window late Friday and Saturday nights.  I called the cops.  I went to CAPS meetings.  I doubt it made a difference. ... Read more »
By Ray Salazar,
March 18, 2012 at 1:49 pm
• 12 comments
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On Friday, Save Ethnic Studies

On Friday, Save Ethnic Studies
When I say I’m Chicano, sometimes I have to explain.  Or people respond, ”I didn’t know you were from California.” I’m from 26th Street. But I identify with the Mexican-American Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.  Yup. There was one.  The United Farm Workers organized to improve working conditions in the fields.  Students walked out of a Los Angeles... Read more »
By Ray Salazar,
March 12, 2012 at 11:49 pm
• 2 comments

PURE Doesn't Need to Protest Noble Street

PURE Doesn't Need to Protest Noble Street
Earlier today, Parents United for Responsible Education (PURE) staged a protest against Noble Street Charter High Schools.  PURE is seeking legal action against Noble Street’s practices of charging a student $5.00 for every 4 demerits he or she earns.  If PURE’s mission really is “to support and assure a high-quality public education for all children,”... Read more »
By Ray Salazar,
February 13, 2012 at 9:41 pm
• 37 comments

Monday's Town Hall Show: Produced by, Directed by, and Starring Rahm Emanuel

Monday's Town Hall Show: Produced by, Directed by, and Starring Rahm Emanuel
I was literally behind the camera at tonight’s education town hall meeting. Last Thursday, I got an e-mail from the CPS Office of Communications inviting me to tonight’s event (thanks to this blog).  I know they invited two other teacher bloggers, but I don’t know if they were there. Disappointingly, I didn’t get a chance... Read more »
By Ray Salazar,
January 23, 2012 at 11:43 pm
• 1 comment
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If You Don't Know, Ask the Mayor at Monday's Town Hall Meeting

If You Don't Know, Ask the Mayor at Monday's Town Hall Meeting
The info below is from a press release about the mayor’s second live Facebook Town Hall this Monday.  The focus–education.  Submit your questions or watch using one of the links below. Thanks to my blog, I got an invitation to be in the studio audience.  Look for a post on here shortly after the event. “Mayor Rahm... Read more »
By Ray Salazar,
January 21, 2012 at 12:35 pm
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You--You Independent Which!

You--You Independent Which!
The new year brings with it new laws that we may not find out about until we break them.  I recently became confused then angered when I saw a commonly known expectation violated over and over. In two Newsweek articles and one GQ profile, incomplete sentences were being used unreservedly–like the cologne in the men’s bathroom... Read more »
By Ray Salazar,
January 5, 2012 at 2:45 am
• 3 comments

Happy Holidays from The White Rhino Blog!

Happy Holidays from The White Rhino Blog!
By Ray Salazar,
December 25, 2011 at 2:05 pm
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Ofrenda for Our Lady of Guadalupe from a Progressive Chicano Catholic

Ofrenda for Our Lady of Guadalupe from a Progressive Chicano Catholic
December 12 is a day of celebration for Mexican Catholics: we mark the appearance of Our Lady of Guadalupe in 1531 on a Mexico City hilltop.  Each morning on this holiday, Mexicans crowd churches at dawn, singing to the patron saint of the Americas.  In Mexico City, where her church is built next to Tepeyac... Read more »
By Ray Salazar,
December 12, 2011 at 1:51 am
• 4 comments