I was doing potty patrol outside in the hallway in deference to my smoke allergy, when a kid came up to me and shoved into my hand a pair of those metal rings that magicians take apart and put back together. They sort of look like twisted polished nails. He bet me I couldn’t get […]
Middle School
Posted inMiddle School
How and Why to Run a Dungeons and Dragons Club at Your Middle or High School
When my son turned 12, he joined my monthly Dungeons and Dragons game with friends. Picking up his dice for his first attack roll, I could see him deducing his chances of hitting the gigantic frog that was trying to devour his character whole. “I’ve got less than a 25% chance to hit it though,” he […]
Posted inAsk a Teacher
Active Learning: Nothing Can Stop The Flow!
We’ve all been there. That moment when you’re completely absorbed in the experience. You’re in active learning- the zone. You’re somehow calm, focused, and intense all at the same time. You’re like Scrooge at the end of A Christmas Carol, “I am as light as a feather, I am as happy as an angel, I […]
Posted inSocial Justice
Understanding Ramadan: A Classroom Teacher’s Guide
This year at the end of February, approximately 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide will be observing the holy month of Ramadan. Ramadan is the ninth month of the lunar Islamic calendar, which begins the morning after sighting the last sliver of a crescent moon before a new moon and lasts for 30 days. The observance of […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
From STEM, Let’s Pivot to the BRANCHES of the Humanities
There is no doubt that the neglect of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics – better known as STEM in educational circles – has come at our own peril. Our students’ achievement in mathematics is surely not where other Americans expect it to be, and the comfort of anyone saying “I hate math” is embarrassing. As […]
Posted inPedagogy
Freshen Up Your National Poetry Month Lessons with These New Releases
Have you signed up for The Educator’s Room Newsletter? Click here and support independent journalism! As an English language arts teacher of many, many years, poetry has always been one of my favorite subjects to teach my students. Poetry brings out the best in students’ language abilities and challenges them to write in a way […]
Posted inAsk the Educator's Room
Ask The Educator’s Room: Should I tell my coworker I snitched on him?
Have you signed up for The Educator’s Room Newsletter? Click here and support independent journalism!Welcome to The Educator’s Room advice column for teachers! Today we’re helping a teacher whose student keeps taking naps. We’re also helping a teacher who’s deciding whether to tell their coworker they told on them for smelling of marijuana. See what […]
Posted inPedagogy
Finding Jungles in the City
Sparking Scientific Curiosity Through Relevance One of the problems with STEM education in the United States is its accessibility. Specifically, the inaccessibility gap between students from well-resourced schools and those without. Having AP course offerings, funding for lab materials, access to structured readiness programs, and even something as simple as an Algebra II class can […]