Gratitude Tour: Carl and Nancy Frye
Carl Frye was one of the first colleagues I came to know well at Blue Ridge when I arrived in 1998. I wouldn’t coach until the winter, but, as the…
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On the ethics of properly grading students
I wanted to take a break from my usual cynical storytelling — don’t worry, I’ve got plenty of that — and address a very serious concern: an ethical, and yes,…
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When Behavior Is Survival: Understanding Trauma in the Classroom
More than meets the eye We’re sitting together, going over her English notes, and I can see the frustration building in her eyes. Before I can even finish my sentence,…
Keep readingPersonalized Book Recommendations Changed My Classroom Library. Here’s Why.
Walk into almost any school library and you’ll see the same thing… A small group of students browsing confidently. A much larger group hovering, unsure where to start. And a…
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Truth, Courage, and the Power of Student Voice: The Transformative Work of Jessyca Mathews
For Jessyca Mathews, education has never been just about teaching literature or preparing students for exams. It has always been about something deeper: helping young people find their voice and…
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You Won the Race”: A health class euphemism, reimagined
I generally dislike teacher stories marketed as “based on a true story.” They’re always cleaned up, sanded down, and weaponized for sentimentality. So here’s something that actually happened on Friday:…
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Education Department to vacate D.C. headquarters as downsizing effort continues
The U.S. Department of Education announced plans to vacate its longtime headquarters in the Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) building, marking one of the most visible steps yet in the Trump…
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Our school system is broken
I have worked for the New York City Department of Education since 2005. I began as a teaching assistant while in high school, became a teaching scholar in college, substitute taught for six years, and have now taught full-time as a special education teacher for the past eleven years. Through all these roles, one truth…
Keep readingWe must reinvent the way we teach to win back students
During my final years in the classroom, I struggled with something many teachers now face: We’ve lost our students. Disengagement is everywhere, and if we keep teaching the same way, we risk losing them for good. We must find a way to bring them back. “There are many students who are lacking motivation,” a Pennsylvania…
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Gratitude Tour: Simon Curry
During the 2023/2024 school year at Blue Ridge School (my final year of fulltime teaching), I lived in a trailer. ‘A trailer’ wasn’t completely accurate. It was actually a cluster of trailers large enough to house four human beings along with three restrooms, a kitchen, common area and a large front porch. However, our individual…
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Nature in the Classroom: Enhancing Tranquility in a Classroom
Imagine a student working through a challenging task. Teacher support has been provided and problem solving strategies have been tried, but frustration is increasing. The student looks up to see trees above, a sun peeking out, and takes a deep breath. A mindful moment relaxes the student and allows a reframing opportunity. The student has…
Keep readingTeaching with Ring-Things: Planning Beyond the Lesson Plan
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…
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Cultivating Safety, Belonging, and Well-Being: The Trailblazing Work of María Barragán Ortiz
María Barragán Ortiz is an internationally recognized multilingual educator, researcher, Top 50 Educator, and consultant whose work centers on creating safe, inclusive, and sustainable learning environments. From her early experiences growing up in a rural town in southern Spain to teaching and researching across Spain, Poland, England, and the United States, María has seen firsthand…
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Data Meets Dyslexia: What AI Could Mean for Identification in Schools
The Growing Role of AI in Education “Artificial intelligence (AI) is going to become the future of education,” a colleague recently remarked in passing. As a…
Learning to Slow Down and Let Students Lead the Learning
In a world driven by rigid pacing guides and shifting benchmarks, classrooms often feel like a race toward a moving finish line. Many educators believe constant instruction equals…
What Is Speech Language Pathology?
What Is Speech Language Pathology? Communication is the cornerstone of daily interactions, shaping your personal, social, and professional life. Central to the field of communication disorders lies Speech…
Teaching Across Borders and Possibilities: The Global Vision of Dr. Angello Villarreal
In classrooms across America, educators often speak about the power of representation, belonging, and resilience. Few embody those values as fully as Angello Villarreal, a scholar, teacher, and…
The Power of Connection: Lessons from the Teachers We Never Forget
It surely takes little effort for most of us visiting The Educator’s Room to conjure up memories of favorite teachers and in our imaginations picture them in their…
Teaching the Whole Human: The Relational Leadership of Dr. Leigh Alley
In an era when education policy often focuses on test scores, pacing guides, and performance metrics, educators like Dr. Leigh Alley are reminding the profession of a foundational…