To my surprise, I woke up 15 weeks ago and found myself pregnant for the third time in my teaching career. After plenty of thought and discussion, my husband and I decided to embrace this surprise blessing. There is a lot to consider when a surprise like this comes up. We already have two beautiful […]
Laura
I began my teaching career 15 years ago in Chicago Public Schools, teaching 7th grade Science. After earning my Masters degree, along with my Reading Specialist Certificate, I began working as an RTI Specialist in a suburban district, where I have been for the last nine years. I enjoy reading, writing, and spending time with my husband and my two little girls.
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
The Implications of ‘Surviving R. Kelly’ in our Classrooms
I spent the last two evenings watching Lifetime’s documentary “Surviving R. Kelly.” If you haven’t seen it, watch it. Watch it now. I was in college at the University of Illinois at Chicago at the time his infamous “pee tape” became famous. I remember people in my classes telling me, through hushed whispers and giggles, […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
I Am a Female Educator in America and I am Triggered
I have been a nervous wreck lately, watching this Brett Kavanaugh fiasco go down. In a profession that is majority female, I know I can not be alone. It wasn’t until I was watching Lady Gaga on Stephen Colbert that I think I understand what is going on with me, and why it’s so hard […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Eighth Grade – The Movie Every Teacher of Adolescents Needs To See
Warning: This article does contain spoilers for the movie, Eighth Grade The movie, Eighth grade, is the most realistic portrayal of a socially awkward middle school girl I’ve ever seen. The movie follows Kayla (played by Elsie Fisher) through the last few weeks of her 8th grade school year as she prepares to start high […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Know Your Rights: Colin Kaepernick and the Human and Civil Rights Award
I’ve never been a huge fan of football. It always seemed unnecessarily violent, even barbaric, to me. After a 2017 article in the New York Times revealed that 111 former NFL player’s brains were donated to science after their deaths, and 110 of them were found to have C.T.E., the “degenerative disease linked to repeated […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
[Opinion] If You Are a Quality Educator, You Can’t Be Pro-Trump
As a mother and a teacher, my job is to educate, care for, and love my kids. I treat my students as I would my own kids, and I expect my daughters’ teachers to do the same. To hear about the 2,000 children who remain separated from their parents, and left in cages and tent […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Why Don’t Students Do Homework? 3 Factors To Consider
When I first started teaching, I would assign homework nearly every night. I remember learning in my undergraduate classes that homework was an extension of what was done in class, and was ultimately important to ensure students had grasped the concepts taught in class that day. So Imagine my naive surprise when only ⅓ of […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Legalizing Marijuana – How does it Effect Schools?
Pot. Grass. Herb. Bud. Cheeba. 420. Mary Jane. You’ve probably smoked it. You’ve at least been around people who have smoked it. If not, you’ve seen it smoked on TV or the movies and thought those scenes were hilarious, it’s okay, you can admit it. In 2018 there are now eight states who have legalized […]