Think that there’s a lot on the line for kids taking tests? Plenty of pressure? Stress? Difficulties? Mess? Welcome to New York City Public Schools, says writer, producer, and director Curtis Chin in his film Tested. His story line follows twelve 8th grade students who are wrangling over the decision to take the Specialized High School […]
Jake Miller
Mr. Jake Miller is the 2016 National History Day Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year, a 2017 NEA Global Fellow to China, and a former candidate for county-wide office. Miller has written more than 500 articles, most of which have appeared on The Educator's Room. He's the opening contributor to TER's book When the Fire Is Gone. Learn more about Jake at www.MrJakeMiller.com
Posted inFeatured
10 Tips: Running a Political Debate
Last week I shared “10 Reasons Why Teachers Should Host Political Debates.” It was a reflection piece on a State Senate debate I helped plan, coordinate, and orchestrate. Since then I’ve received several letters of thanks and strangers in the community approaching me in appreciation. Most importantly, students (and their parents) have expressed the most […]
Posted inParents
“RAK” Up Teacher Appreciation Week
Happy Teacher Appreciation Week to our fellow educators! While they’ll hopefully be showered with gifts and praise this week by their school board, community, administrators, students, and parents – we have a project to pitch. We want to make this week not so much about teachers but about the currency of teachers: We want to […]
Posted inBook Review
The Secrets of Timeless Teachers: Book Review
The Secrets of Timeless Teachers: Instruction That Works in Every Generation is aptly titled. Great teachers have existed in every age, with every type of technology, and in every nation. It is not the tools that make them great, but rather their form. Such can be said about this book, which is readable for just about […]
Posted inFeatured, Instruction & Curriculum, Opinion
Surviving the Spring “Thing”
Spring Break has come and gone, and every teacher knows what follows thereafter: the Spring “Thing.” The “thing” involves a stretch of days where there are no more holidays until Memorial Day, or in some schools, the end of the year It’s a time when most states dig deep into standardized testing When the “thing” […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
10 Reasons Why Teachers Should Host Political Debates
A few weeks back, I examined a hotly contested election for State Senate, and I remarked to a few friends and colleagues that it would be great to host a debate for these candidates seeking the post – and I should be the one to organize it. While all of those folks thought it was a good […]
Posted inClassroom Management, Common Core, Current Events in Education, Featured, From the Front Lines, Opinion, Uncategorized
Standardized Protesting
Most Americans are quite aware of their First Amendment rights, namely their freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom of the press. One of the most often overlooked freedoms in that all-too-important amendment is the freedom to protest, and it’s something that teachers should consider when it comes to standardized testing. They can standardized […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, From the Front Lines, Opinion, School Improvement
Gotta “Maslow” Before You “Bloom”
In sharing last week’s article on the Hidden Stories of the Average American Classroom, several teachers began discussing the need to “Maslow” before you “Bloom.” But what exactly does that mean? Past Writings on “Maslow Before You Bloom” Tomaz Lasic actually wrote about this topic with an article of his own in 2009, where he noted […]