In this series of posts, veteran teacher, guide teacher and induction mentor Thomas Courtney bridges the other gap that we don’t talk enough about. That gap, the difference between what we are trained to do in our credential program, what we are asked to do by our employer, what the families and students we serve […]
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Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Cultural Resident or Cultural Visitor – How do you identify?
Cultural Resident: Determining cultural impact through residential and intellectual mindset Merriam-Webster defines a resident as “. . . serving in a regular or full-time capacity”. Meaning. Moreover, visitor is defined as, “One who makes formal visits of inspection.” As an instructional leader and teacher in the GREAT city-state of Newark, I’ve had the privilege to […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Why Teaching Students to Say “Sorry” Is Not Enough
You’re eight years old, and another student pushes you because they wanted to be first in line. Exasperated, your teacher tells the other child to say “sorry.” “Soooooory,” the child exclaims, rolling their eyes. “Say it like you mean it,” your teacher chides. “Sorry!” the other student yells a little more enthusiastically but still with […]
Posted inMental Health
From Discussion to Instruction: The Mental Health Paradox in Public Education
By Jessica Lyons There seems to be a paradox in public education regarding helping students cope with mental health issues. On the one hand, the federal government is pushing to fund more resources for mental health services. In the past few months, the federal government allocated $188 million to increase access to school-based mental health […]
Posted inMental Health
Pilot Lights, Lighthouses, and Marathons: Channeling Teacher Energy
The Spring Baking Championship is a popular series on the Food Network, and even though this is the ninth season, the most common challenge for the bakers is time management. There is no short supply of articles and memes helping people increase awareness of and build the skill of time management. As an educator, I […]
Posted inBook Review
Fighting Fake News: A Book Review for Educators
From political conspiracy theories to the drama of who’s dating who in the celebrity sphere, fake news is all around us. It bombards us from the magazine racks in the grocery store checkout lanes. It pops up on our social media feeds, enticing us to click to see more. Sometimes it even makes it to […]
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 […]
Posted inBook Review
Teachers Need More Than Affirmations
A Review of Jamie Sears’ How to Love Teaching Again How to Love Teaching Again: Work Smarter, Beat Burnout, and Watch Your Students Thrive by Jamie Sears, former elementary teacher and founder of Not So Wimpy Teacher, was, to put it simply, not for me. My critiques of this book are multifold, but I’d like […]