There are plenty of reasons to leave the teaching profession, but there has to be a reason we stay, right? Every teacher has different reasons for staying, and they are very personal. Some of us have several reasons and some of us only have one. Many people forget that we are human. We need compassion and […]
Alice Trosclair
Alice has been teaching for fourteen years. She currently teaches English I, English III, English Language and Composition AP, and English Literature and Composition AP. She lives with her husband and son in south Louisiana. She also has hundreds of "adopted" children.
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, High School, Principals' Corner
Why Teachers Leave – and Possible Solutions
On paper, teaching seems like the perfect job. Summers at home, the workday ends at three, you’re off when your kids are off, and we get to work with children all day long. I mean, what more could one possibly want? As with life, things are not always what they seem. Teaching is hard. Parenting is […]
Posted inFeatured, Middle School
What I Miss Over the Summer
At the end of the year, we are all “done.” Done with the kids, the administration, the testing, and even each other. The kids pushed us to a breaking point and we not only crossed it, but are holding on to the branch with only one hand. End of the year evaluations are coming in […]
Posted inClassroom Management, Current Events in Education, Featured, High School, Instructional Strategies, Middle School
Student Mentors
It seems like by the time everything gets settled, the school year ends. Then in August, new freshmen arrive and need to be “broken in” to the high school climate. While we have amazing freshmen teachers to help with the adjustment period, sometimes they are not enough. In Japanese culture, there is a “senpai,” an […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured
A True Testing Reminder
We are in the middle of testing madness. End of Year tests, AP exams, ACT & SAT results, LEAP, iLEAP, and PARCC, whatever you are going through- know that you are not alone. No one can understand the pressure of a high stakes test unless you are personally involved. The weight that is tied to […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Why I Lend Out My Personal Books to My Students
In my incredibly messy classroom, behind my desk are my personal books- novels ranging from Pride and Prejudice to Splintered. They are worn underlined, and some have sticky notes in them. About six weeks into the school year, one of my students wanders over there to look at my pictures, then they pick up a […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, High School, Opinion
Why Teachers Speak Out
On every article I have seen about what teachers do there are always many comments, mostly from other teachers. Those are the ones I love, they are uplifting and keep me going. And there are always people that feel the need to undermine what we do. There are tons of comments that go on and on […]
Posted inCommon Core, Current Events in Education, Featured, High School, Instruction & Curriculum
High School Students and Common Core
Common Core has been a controversial topic in education since it was first mentioned in 2012, then fully implemented in 2013, despite plans for a two-year transition. Personally, I have no problem with it. Standards are standards after all and it puts all the states on an equal playing field. One of my students arrived […]