The hijab, an item Muslim women wear to express modesty taught within their faith, might seem oppressive to people outside of this faith. This is why Nazma Khan created World Hijab Day in 2013 to be celebrated annually on the first day of February. Through this day, she hoped to bring understanding and tolerance. When […]
Educator Barnes
Educator Barnes is a middle school dean and adjunct college professor. Previously, she served as an elementary library/media specialist, an elementary and high school literacy coach, a middle and high school English/Language Arts teacher, and a K-5 English as a New Language teacher. Shawnta is an education writer and editor for Indy K12, a publication under the Citizen Education network. She is also the winner of the 2019 Indiana Black Expo Excellence in Education Journalism Award.
Where’s Waldo? The Case of the Missing Principal
At the helm of the school is the principal. In some schools, the principal is nowhere to be found or everywhere but inside of classrooms. The essential duties teachers would like the principal to make a priority seem like more of an item to check off of the principal’s list. If you ask a principal […]
Extinguish the Flame and Stop Burning the Midnight Oil
Educators are notorious for arriving at school early and staying way past the end of the school day. Even the weekends aren’t off limits. Some work in their classrooms part of Saturday and return on Sunday. Many times these educators find themselves being asked to leave by the custodial staff. It’s time to blow out […]
Is 2018 the Year for You to Teach at a New School?
Among education writers, I am most known for my piece, “Teachers Quit Principals, Not Schools.” Currently, this piece has been read more than 650,000 times. This piece struck a chord with educators around the country because the reality is many teachers are not happy working in their current school environment and although the principal has […]
Despite the Teacher Shortage, Some Educators Need to be Coached out of the Profession
When you are a teacher, it is easy to be so consumed with your classroom that you might not notice the work of your colleagues. You might assume your principal did a great job of hiring your colleagues and they are all working their butts off to do what is best for our students just […]
#MeToo – When Students Sexually Harass Teachers
In 2007, a black woman named Tarana Burke started the original Me Too movement. The Me Too Movement empowers victims of sexual assault and harassment to speak out in solidarity. In 2017, the movement gained steam when prominent white women began tweeting #MeToo and speaking out about their own stories of survival. Time Magazine even […]
Dear Administrators: Don’t Move Ineffective Teachers to a Lower Grade; Help Them Improve
Guest Writer: Shawnta S. Barnes The great school mix up is one strategy elementary principals use to remove ineffective teachers from upper elementary grades, the grades where state standardized tests are taken. Apparently, moving these teachers to an ‘easier’ grade will magically fix the problems they faced in their upper-grade classroom. There are a few […]