Facilitating in the classroom is a different bird than teaching in front of the class. When most people think of teaching, they picture an adult standing in front of a classroom giving information to students. That is exactly the picture that I have from my K-12 school days. For many decades, when public education was […]
Jackie Parrish
I am a retired teacher who taught in middle school for 30 years. I have certifications in elementary education, reading, and math. I have spent most of my career teaching math to 7th and 8th graders in an urban setting. I have also presented staff development within my school and within my district. Although I am now retired I am still passionate about teaching math in ways that engage all students.
Posted inCharter Schools
When Charter Companies Bail Out on Students
Charter companies have found a friendly home in Philadelphia. They are often granted charters over parental and neighborhood protests. Charter companies are more likely to be approved over parent-teacher groups wanting to focus on trying new educational ideas. Until recently, Philadelphia rarely refused to renew contracts with charter companies even when the schools they ran […]
Posted inTeacher Leaders
School Safety Doesn’t Mean What You Think
School safety is paramount to most parents. They want to believe that their children can go to school, get an education and not be bullied or threatened. The current problem in our schools is that those who make decisions about the safety of schools seem to be more focused with attacks from strangers rather than […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, Instructional Strategies
It’s Pi Day: A Day to Exercise Your Inner Mathematician!
Pi Day comes once a year on March 14. It is a special day for a few reasons. The day itself can be written as the abbreviation for the number pi: 3.14. It also happens to be Albert Einstein’s birthday. I used to love pi day with my students because it gave me a day […]
Posted inFeatured
It’s Pi Day!
Pi Day comes once a year on March 14. It is a special day for a few reasons. The day itself can be written as the abbreviation for the number pi: 3.14. It also happens to be Albert Einstein’s birthday. I used to love pi day with my students because it gave me a day […]
Posted inSocial Justice, Uncategorized
Why Teach About Social Justice in the Classroom?
Social justice can have a very concrete meaning for young children. To them, it is about what is fair and what is not fair. You can hear it from them when a teacher always allows one or two students to do all of the coveted classroom jobs. To them, that is not fair and the […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, Social Justice
Teaching Children Living in Poverty
Children who live in http://theeducatorsroom.com/2013/05/working-in-a-high-poverty-environment/poverty need additional support when they attend school. According to a recent article in the Washington Post a majority of public school students are living in poverty. This is based on statistics from the 2013-2014 school year which showed that the number of students receiving free or reduced lunch is now […]
Posted inClassroom Management, Featured, Middle School
Life in the Middle… School That Is!
For many students success in middle school can determine whether or not they can navigate high school and leave with a diploma. This fact means that we as middle school teachers should guide our students to think on their own and make wise choices. While teaching 8th grade, I would begin the year giving more […]