Blog

Reflections on education, inclusion, leadership, identity, and student success. Drawing on more than four decades of experience in schools, higher education, and consulting, these posts explore lessons learned, current issues, and stories from the field.

Identity, Intersectionality, and the Myth of the Average Student

Recently, I’ve been reflecting on identity, intersectionality, learner variability, and the persistent myth of the “average” student in education. The following excerpts are adapted from a longer essay inspired in part by themes explored in Learning to Relearn by Kwame Sarfo-Mensah and connect closely to my work in culturally responsive education and Universal Design for Learning. The Myth of the “Average” Student A few years ago, I watched a video about the design of airplan

By Janet Ferone

"School to Deportation Pipeline" in Boston?!?

Hours after this post, Supt. Chang abruptly resigned from Boston Public Schools. Imagine living in a country where you face gang and organized crime violence daily, watching family members murdered and knowing you could be the next target to be killed, kidnapped, sexually abused with no help, and often additional harm, from the police. Imagine you are able to seek refuge in the United States and you and your family have settled in Boston where you attend school every day, eag

On Losing A Student

Working in school programs for some our most challenging youth in Boston, many who were gang and/or court involved, I lived through many funerals of students in the violence-filled 1980s, consoling families and fellow staff and students, as we helped memorialize these youth taken too soon. Each one was as heart-wrenching as the next, and naturally it never got easier. This weekend’s funeral for a former student was equally jarring, as it was a student I had known for over 30

Hatred Not Tolerated, We Accept All

A welcoming and inclusive environment can reduce stress and hostility in our schools. Two recent articles in the Boston Globe, “An About-Face, Brigham and Women’s to Dismantle Gallery of Past White Male Leaders” in the hospital’s amphitheater, and a column entitled “Fixing the Name Game” referring to the fact that of 125 Boston Public Schools, only 10 are named for women and efforts to change that, highlight how important it is for people to be able to recognize themselves r

Worlds Apart: Disparities in Educational Opportunity in a Three-Mile Radius

As an consultant who helps schools serve all their special needs students, I was saddened to hear about budget cuts to Boston Public Schools for three years in a row. I've seen firsthand how these cuts have led to reduction in services and increased class size, especially for our most vulnerable students in high poverty schools and with disabilities such as autism and depression/suicidality. Previously as an administrator in a Boston public high school, I experienced the deva

The Power of Turkey

As we approach Thanksgiving celebrations here in the U.S., I'm reposting this to remember the power of celebration with students, particularly those living with challenging circumstances. Not counting leftovers, I had 3 full Thanksgiving dinners last week, and not just because I like turkey. As an educator working with students with different special needs (I’m an administrator in charge of a program for students with autism, and another for students with depression/anxiety),

A True Fellowship

I’ve had the honor of supporting Boston University Hubert H. Humphrey fellows, mid-career professionals from developing countries, for the past five years, making some very meaningful friendships and visiting several in their home countries. So, when I heard the news of the impending Russian invasion of Ukraine, my thoughts went to Svitlana Taran, a 2018 fellow from Kyiv. I reached out and we began messaging, including the night the bombing began, while I watched the horrors

Who's a Grinch ?!? Holiday Tips Special Needs Children Want You to Know

Most of us are stressed around the holidays and all of us probably know a family with a child diagnosed with autism, or depression/anxiety, as both these disorders have disproportionately increased in recent years. The CDC reports that autism diagnoses more than doubled since 2000, and depression among teens rose at quadruple the rate of the general population from 2005-2015. With the media showing unrealistic scenes of holiday bliss with intact families celebrating abundance

Managing Expectations with School at Home

As a former school administrator for over 30 years with the Boston Public Schools, primarily working with students with disabilities, my first words of advice to parents are "MANAGE EXPECTATIONS". Many parents see the schedule going around on social media which outlines a full day in 45 minute increments, including school subjects, snack, and chore time, etc. While maintaining a routine is a good thing, it doesn't make sense to try to replicate a school day to the minute and