Notes from MC

This blog is posted by Mary Cathryn Ricker, President of the St. Paul Federation of Teachers, Local 28, which serves to offer notes and thoughts of interest to the members and friends of SPFT about unions, great public schools and public school teachers. Issues of greater good for all of our students, reflections on teacher leadership, being a teacher, union leader, and community activist will also be included.

Friday, December 21, 2012

Licensed to Teach

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So I guess the NRA says the answer to stop school shootings is more guns, joining the smattering of elected officials who recently have prom...
98 comments:
Thursday, December 20, 2012

Sad & angry, scared & grateful

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On Monday I sent the following note out. I am posting it here so more folks get a glimpse of the confidence and gratitude I have for the pub...
6 comments:
Saturday, September 15, 2012

Optimism and Tenacity

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These are the comments I prepared, and more or less delivered, for my speech at the Chicago Teachers Union rally today. Good afternoon! ...
1 comment:
Tuesday, September 11, 2012

The Chicago Strike and Earth without Art

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One of the many inspiring signs I saw on the first day of the CTU strike was " Earth without art is just 'eh' " and it sur...
2 comments:
Monday, August 27, 2012

Sisu, of course

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On Friday we had a closing round-table panel discussion of the week's observations with Joanne Weiss, Secretary Arne Duncan's chief ...
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Thursday, August 23, 2012

Finnish Teacher Training: Masterful and Commanding

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Today I had the opportunity to immerse myself in Finland's teacher training programs (and even teach a little lesson myself!). Our hos...
5 comments:
Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Angry Birds, Happy People

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"Finland is a place where you have angry birds and happy people..." -Pasi Sahlberg,Director General of the Centre for Internation...
Tuesday, August 21, 2012

I like to move it, muuvit.

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It's hard to imagine King Julian of "Madagascar" fame not loving Finland. From the plethora of bike-riders, including bike aft...
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Monday, August 20, 2012

Preschool, quotations and a question

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Today we were immersed in a preschool program in the morning. I had the opportunity to observe, and have lunch at, a Swedish language pres...
1 comment:
Sunday, August 19, 2012

Anything for you, Finland

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Including dusting off my blog. When I first started to read about the system of public education in Finland I never would have dreamed I...
7 comments:
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Mary Cathryn
I have been president of the St. Paul Federation of Teachers, the union representing the teachers and educational assistants of St. Paul Public Schools since 2005. I have taught middle school English for 13 years in St. Cloud, Minnesota; Camas, Washington, Seoul, South Korea; and St. Paul, earning my National Board Certification in Early Adolescent/English-Language Arts in 2004. I grew up in a family of teachers on Minnesota's Iron Range so I recognize the power of labor unions to improve peoples' lives as well as the power of good teaching and strong public schools.
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