A few months ago, my husband and I started to seriously discuss homeschooling our youngest child. The one with Selective Mutism. The one that although has struggled since he entered preschool as a three year old, has made incredible progress with his social anxiety. His academic performance is within the normal range, he ended […]
From the Front Lines
Posted inConfessions of a Teacher, From the Front Lines, How to Fix Education, Instruction & Curriculum
The Argument for Summer Vacation
A couple of mornings ago, I happened to be listening to the radio while a popular education pundit was being interviewed. After listening to him tout his own personal accolades and his ideas for educational reform, he said something that struck me. He claimed that at his school, he did things that were beneficial for the students, instead of the teachers in the building. He continued to brag that at his school, students attend during the summer and during the year they not only have extended day (every day of the week), but students come to school almost every Saturday for more content enrichment. As I listened I thought, “How can a […]
Posted inAsk a Teacher, Common Core, Current Events in Education, From the Front Lines, Uncategorized
Education Reformers Without Classroom Experience Lack Credibility
In these days of education reform, teachers want one of their own, someone who has been in the classroom, to make the important decisions that impact the policies they must implement. They want someone who has taught a lesson with content, assessed that lesson, retaught that lesson, reassessed that lesson, and evaluated that lesson for […]
Posted inFeatured, From the Front Lines, Instruction & Curriculum
The Write Professional Development
Now that school has ended, I have the time to reflect on how well writing on my own blog or contributing to other blogs has served as my own professional development for the past 36 months. In writing or responding to a post, I have tried to find links that support or refute a position. I […]
Posted inFeatured, From the Front Lines, How to Fix Education, Middle School, Parents, Special Education
Misunderstood: A Mother’s Plea to Educators About Asperger’s (Part III)
In parts one and two of this series, I shared the story of my almost twenty-year-old son and his struggles and successes as a young man with Asperger’s Syndrome. In addition, I offered teaching tips for educators from a parent’s point of view. In this final installment, I will share more suggestions of how to […]
Posted inFeatured, From the Front Lines, School Improvement
Professional Development: One Step at a Time
[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”] In schools across the United States, teachers have a wealth of knowledge. But that knowledge is not always employed to our benefit as teachers. There are many veteran master teachers in […]
Posted inFeatured, From the Front Lines
Surviving Teach for America: What I Learned from the Corps
[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”] As I just finished my two-year commitment with Teach for America, I cannot help but think back on this journey I have just completed. Never in a million years did I […]
Posted inFeatured, From the Front Lines, Parents, Special Education
Misunderstood: A Mother’s Plea to Educators About Asperger’s (Part Two)
In part one of this series, I shared my story as a mother to a son with Asperger’s Syndrome and my “wish list” for educators who work with such students. Although I am a teacher, my training in working with Asperger’s children was on the job experience, as my now almost twenty-year-old son has struggled his […]