I work in a fairly affluent district. The majority of my students come from parents with college degrees and are homeowners in our community. The town has passed school bonds based on property taxes to fund the ‘extras’ in our districts, such as art programs, sports and an additional period for kids to take electives. […]
Opinion
Posted inFeatured, Opinion
A Teacher’s Tears
Teaching is an emotional career. Most of us have larger than normal hearts because we love our students and treat them as our biological kids, so we care. A lot. My weeks have been filled with ups and downs and I have cried more than I have in a while. As much as I wanted […]
Posted inFeatured, Opinion
American Dream, Education Nightmare
Last night I had a dream whereby I visited the high school that my former middle school students attend. While walking up and down the hallways, I saw images of things that greatly disturbed me. First, I saw students who sat silently in desks and took tests – in every room of the high school. […]
Posted inFeatured, Opinion
Teachers are the Light in the Darkness – how can we lead the way?
We are only a quarter of the year in, and I am already worn out physically, mentally and emotionally. Report cards are due and I still have grading to complete. A new nine weeks begins on Wednesday and I haven’t begun to implement my ‘step it up a notch each nine weeks’ procedure. I have […]
Posted inClassroom Management, Featured, Opinion
SUPERPOWER Schools
It happened. One day on a teacher in-service-workday, I was having a total meltdown, so on my lunch hour I went to see a 4th grade teacher-friend of mine in another school. As I walked through her building, I quickly noticed everyone was at lunch, and she was to nowhere to be found, so I decided to […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, High School, Opinion
The Perils of the United States of Smug
I make my living by teaching politics to high school seniors and college students. I am not a “read-the-textbook” kind of teacher. I want my students to watch the news. I want them to read political biographies. I want them to watch the complete seven seasons of The West Wing. Of course, few of them […]
Posted inElementary School, Featured, Opinion
What If You Couldn't!? — Shifting our Thinking about Teaching
Going into the classroom to finish up the second decade of my career I still learn. My room and my style are different from that first class 19 years ago, but the philosophy behind what I do has not changed. I believe in active learning. I believe in appreciating differences. I believe every child has […]
Posted inFeatured, Instruction & Curriculum, Opinion
How to Stop Zombie Students Dead in Their Tracks
Last week, I wrote about how disengaged students are like zombies. It’s scary how quickly the epidemic of disengaged, zombie students spreads when you don’t take appropriate steps to prevent it, but thankfully there are measures you can take to bring your students back to life without creating a mob. Prevention Imagine a classroom where […]