Once again, Columbus Day has rolled around, and teachers, especially History teachers, have an opportunity to set the record straight. A great article by TER’s Mike Dunn today talks about teaching Columbus and is rich with ideas and resources. I am writing today not about how to teach it but why it is essential that we […]
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, Literacy, Opinion
Have you Read a Banned Book Yet This Week?
National Banned Books Week is upon us, and the American Library Association once again reminds us that the Freedom to Read is a right everyone deserves. Most school libraries, especially in high schools, used to celebrate Banned Books Week by making commonly banned books available or displaying them as a reminder. But nowadays, with massive […]
Posted inBook Review, Featured, Opinion, Principals' Corner
Yes, Teacher Leadership is for you! – A TER Book Review
Book: Insights into Action, by William Sterrett Publisher: ASCD, 2011 The beginning of every school year is often fraught with non-stop action: getting those last minute lesson plans in place, meeting (and remembering the names of) new students, settling on a management system for your classroom, and getting used to standing most of the day […]
Posted inFeatured, How to Fix Education, Middle School, Opinion, Parents
Unschooling: When There is No End to the School Year
This time of year is filled with so many conflicting feelings for teachers. I remember my time in the classroom as I faced June: elation, anxiousness, constant review of what needed to get done, finalizing grades and projects, planning for next year, thinking about the summer… The end of the school year is a huge […]
Posted inFeatured, Instruction & Curriculum, Technology
Gaming and Education: They are not Enemies [Part 3]
In Part 1 and Part 2 of this series, I discussed the bigger picture of gaming in our students’ and children’s lives and how gaming can connect to education. In this article, I discuss how gaming has affected my own son’s education. I’ve written previously about how my son began unschooling a year ago. As […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured
Teacher Appreciation Week – TER Thanks You!
We here at The Educator’s Room would like to send a huge THANK YOU to all of you teachers as we start Teacher Appreciation Week. Though we appreciate teachers year round here at the magazine, this week is special because everyone else recognizes how significant you are as well! Whether you teach little children, high […]
Posted inEducational Apps, Featured, Technology
Disruptive Innovation: Gaming and Education [Part 2]
Like most boys his age, my 11 year-old son is a gamer. He plays a myriad of video games, and together, he and I are avid tabletop gamers. His gaming life is full of colorful characters, mysterious landscapes, adventure, challenge, triumphs, and, yes, lots of failure. But no matter how much failure he encounters, […]
Posted inAdult Learning, Featured, Instruction & Curriculum, School Improvement
Gaming as the Future of Learning: The Truly Epic Win [Part 1]
What if the future of learning is not measuring student achievement in high stakes standardized testing? What if, instead, the future of learning is in the magic of a great game? Ever since the 1983 “A Nation at Risk” report on the American education system, policymakers have consistently insisted that more and more high stakes […]