One of the most misunderstood aspects of implementing Common Core standards is that they are about learning goals, not methods. This opens up lots of possibilities for including the standards in assessments across the curriculum. The standards currently include core skills and knowledge in Reading, Writing, and Math. However, the idea is not to limit […]
Cari Zall
Cari Zall has been a Social Sciences educator for over 12 years, in both brick & mortar and online environments. She currently works as the Curriculum and Instructional Support Manager for an online high school dropout recovery program, and is the Assignment Editor and a writer for The Educator’s Room, an online education magazine. Cari is certified in Gamification and has worked on several projects incorporating Gamification into online and traditional education environments. Her areas of expertise include Gamification and Student Resilience & Motivation; Conflict Resolution & Collaboration, and social justice education. Prior to her teaching career, Cari worked for 15 years in civil litigation and as a human rights activist in Northern Ireland and Washington, DC. She holds a BA in Conflict Analysis & Resolution, an Masters in Teaching, and an MA in Political Science. Cari is a James Madison Fellow, and is the author of the book, How to Finish the Test When Your Pencil Breaks: A Teacher Faces Layoff, Unemployment and a Career Shift. You can finder her on twitter at @teachacari.
Posted inFeatured, Instruction & Curriculum, New Teacher Bootcamp
A Pocket Full of Assessments: Using Quick SIOP Strategies to Check for Understanding
One of the biggest contemporary challenges of teaching is a classroom that is not only significantly overcrowded, but also packed full of students at all levels of learning abilities, English language speaking and reading skills, and emotional maturity. Mix all that together in one classroom and any teacher, new or veteran, has the potential to become very […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, High School, Instruction & Curriculum, School Improvement, Social Studies
Civic Education: A Forgotten Subject in the World of High Stakes Testing
In this installment of the Civic Education Series, we look at the impact of standardized testing on social studies and civics curriculum. How Did We Get Here? (or, “Yay, History!”) The first half of the 20th century saw several major education “reform” efforts. The federal government inserted itself several times with major legislation, including Eisenhower’s […]
Posted inClassroom Management, New Teacher Bootcamp
The Curriculum Map: How To Find Your Way Through Lesson Planning
One of the greatest challenges for new teachers and veterans alike can be lesson planning. For new teachers, getting to know the curriculum and finding ways to enliven it for students can sometimes be daunting. For veterans, keeping lessons fresh and new ideas flowing, even when you’ve taught the same thing for years, can be […]
Posted inClassroom Management, New Teacher Bootcamp
The Curriculum Map: How to Find Your Way Through Lesson Planning
One of the greatest challenges for new teachers and veterans alike can be lesson planning. For new teachers, getting to know the curriculum and finding ways to enliven it for students can sometimes be daunting. For veterans, keeping lessons fresh and new ideas flowing, even when you’ve taught the same thing for years, can be […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum, Social Studies
Freedom on the Edge: Civic Education's Role in Preserving Democracy
This article starts a series of columns that will examine the importance of Civic Education for American students and a variety of ideas on how to teach Civics, even outside the Social Studies classroom. The General Election two weeks ago once again reminded Americans both of the thrill of democratic participation, and the frustration […]
Posted inOpinion, The Unemployed Teacher, Uncategorized
The School Zone: Keeping In Touch With Teaching
This is that marvelous time of the school year when teachers can begin to see that (sometimes desperately) needed break coming in December. Some schools even get an entire week off for Thanksgiving, and that’s right around the corner! Often parent-teacher conferences happen around this time of year, and there are grading days to get […]
Posted inElementary School, Featured, Opinion, The Unemployed Teacher
Substituting – The Not-Quite-Teaching of Teaching
One of the new adventures I’ve embarked upon since my layoff in 2011 is substitute teaching. Many unemployed teachers I’ve spoken to have been substituting for a very long time, sometimes half a decade or more, waiting to get back into a permanent position. Substituting can be one of the worst – or best – situations in which an […]