Chris Ducker

Dad to Everett and Graham, Principal of @UnionAltEd. " We are all a little broken, but last time I checked, broken crayons still color. "

[Chris Ducker @chris_ducker]

@FetchRewards 🥳 F7H355

[Dr. John Spencer @spencerideas]

In baseball, there's an entirely useless statistic called Runs Batted In (RBI). When I was a kid, we would often hear about the RBI leaders and I immediately noticed two trends in RBI leaders.

1. They nearly all played for teams with a really good offense.
2. They nearly all hit at the 4th or 5th spot in the line-up.

I was a nerdy little kid who didn't know anything but I knew this was a bogus statistic.

See, RBI measures how many runners a batter knocks in. Sounds important, right? Definitely something worth measuring. But it turns out that it's highly skewed. Not every batter is in the position to knock in a run. If you are the lead-off hitter (batting #1 in the line-up) you often bat with no runners on. Also, if you're on a crappy team, you run into the same challenge.

So it turns out that RBI count doesn't really tell you how well someone hits for power. For that, you need a stat called slugging percentage. If you want to see how consistent a batter is, go with on-base percentage. If you're looking for balance, go with OPS (on-based plus slugging percentage).

In pitching the equivalent is a win-loss record or an ERA compared to WHIP. Total wins is a metric based on a team's overall performance.

But the things is, our world is full of seriously flawed statistics. BMI is useless compared to measuring one's actual vitals. Plus, BMI has a really negative history connected to eugenics. Go look it up. It's disgusting. And even today, it's often weaponized against perfectly healthy people when they don't fit the stereotype of "average" that doesn't actually exist. I run 5 days a week. I eat healthy food. My body fat percentage is low to moderate but based on BMI I'm obese.

I share all of this because the same thing exists in education. When we use standardized test scores to measure a student's learning (or worse, still, a teacher's effectiveness) we're often running into the same trap as the RBI. We're measuring privilege and positionality while ignoring the data that actually matters. We're running into the BMI trap and failing to embrace neurodiversity. And, like BMI, there's a dark side of psychometric history rooted in eugenics.

I'm not opposed to data. I love data. But my love for data is precisely why I hate bad data. My love for data is precisely why I am so opposed to nearly every policy that uses standardized tests to measure learning.

[We Are Teachers @WeAreTeachers]

Getting my steps in? Not a problem.

[Howie Hua @howie_hua]

What's half of 8? Well it depends. Cut horizontally, it's 0, cut vertically it's 3.

[Matt Schneidman @mattschneidman]

Nailed it

[Brad Weinstein @WeinsteinEdu]

Always remember to share your calm with students.

They need a regulated adult to help them when they struggle. 🙌

[Chris Ducker @chris_ducker]

Exactly.

[Matt Lisle @CoachLisle]

Parents: If there’s ONE video you watch on social media today. Please let it be this one:

Frank Martin discusses parents attempting to coach their kids from the sidelines.

[American Aquarium @USAquarium]

We just can’t give in.
We just can’t give up.
We must go boldly into the darkness
And be the light.

Really wish this song wasn’t just as relevant today as it was six years ago when I started writing it, but here we are. Dark day for America.

[TeacherGoals @teachergoals]

Yup. 💯

[TeacherGoals @teachergoals]

This is so relatable! 🙋‍♂️🙋‍♀️

[Luke Combs 🎤 @lukecombs]

It’s been a long time coming, but my NEW ALBUM Growin’ Up is finally out! Hope y’all love it!!

[TeacherGoals @teachergoals]

Love this! 🙌

[Chris Ducker @chris_ducker]

Aaron Rodgers. No question. @RealMikeRob I’m so tired of cancel culture because someone doesn’t give in to a narrative. To not list him in the top five is simply unacceptable. @nflnetwork

[NFL Network @nflnetwork]

Two minutes on the clock. Who ya got? ⏰

@gmfb @RealMikeRob

[Mike Birbiglia @birbigs]

I’ve always respected @Trevornoah so much but this closing speech from the White House correspondents’ dinner is particularly spectacular.

[Rebecka Peterson @RebeckaMozdeh]

The honor of a lifetime! I’m so grateful for the opportunity to represent the good and important work of Oklahoma public educators. ❤️

[Kyle Malzhan @KyleMalzhan]

A local bakery in Green Bay made 49ers turnovers ahead of the #Packers playoff game vs. San Fran. 😂

[Chris Ducker @chris_ducker]

Go.Pack.Go

[Davante Adams @tae15adams]

Question….when has mocking the belt ever worked out well?? Lol

[Tulsa Changemakers @TULchangemakers]

🎒 @UnionAltEd Changemakers are holding a bag drive to gather backpacks, duffle bags, etc for Tulsa foster kids!

Drop off donations @ @UnionAltEd from 7:30am-3:30pm weekdays (5656 129th East Ave). Watch them present on Day 1 of Pitch Nights @ https://t.co/E4nK6rNb95!

[Michael McKenry @theFortMcKenry]

Bigger than the game!!!

[Jonathan Alsheimer @mr_Alsheimer]

We don’t pick and choose students to support and advocate for.

It’s every student.
Everyday.
All year.