As teachers, we interact with kids constantly that we often forget exchanges we’ve had. To many of our students, those exchanges are things they have clung to in their time of need or seen as the straw that broke the camels back. We see so many kids every single day that it’s overwhelming, but I […]
Madison Woodward
Madison is a former alternative school teacher now working in the EdTech industry. She remains an advocate for marginalized students and equity in education.
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
All the Things We Lose to Standardized Testing…Even During a Pandemic
While many debates on whether or not standardized testing should be a part of the 2020-2021 school year, I (and many other educators) are still wondering why it exists at all. Don’t get me wrong, I see value in data and tracking student progress. However, I absolutely do not see value in billion-dollar testing companies, […]
Posted inOpinion
In Defense of Not Always Being Engaging: A Teacher’s Perspective
Teachers are constantly told today to “be engaging!” That incredibly vague buzzword is laced with pressure and expectations that many teachers find overwhelming. We are shown videos of the perfect teacher giving the perfect lesson – you know the type: there’s an expressive and passionate overdressed educator floating around the room, the kids are wide-eyed […]
Posted inHow to Fix Education
The System is Broken But Are We Ready to Fix it?
I cannot count the number of times I have heard “now is the time to reimagine education!” in the last six months. While the majority of people who voice this sentiment are referring to better delivery of online instruction or disrupting our current teaching practices, I think we are missing the crux of our problems […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
Teachers are Once Again Being Targeted by the Highest Office
It wasn’t enough that teachers were encouraged to go back to their classrooms during the height of the pandemic. It wasn’t enough that we were deemed essential workers to further a political agenda. And it wasn’t enough that our Secretary of Education, Betsy Devos, pushed schools to reopen while continuing to provide absolutely zero leadership […]
Posted inCOVID-19
Teaching in 2020: Where Everyone Gets a Choice, Except Teachers
As we continue to grapple with the changes that are impacting our communities, school reopening plans are at the forefront of most conversations. It is not hard to recognize that most everyone is flying by the seat of their pants as decisions are made and unmade with little notice. The issue of schools reopening continues […]
Posted inBack to School
Finding Your Light in the Dark: Positivity During Pandemic Teaching
There are seven portables in a horseshoe shape around a patch of overgrown grass and two basketball courts with chain-link nets. Approaching the front gate, there are students checking in with security who say hello to me as I pass by. In the first portable is the front office, I spend my mornings here chatting […]
Posted inFrom the Front Lines
Rapport Building and The Power of the Life Map
Whether you are starting your new year in-person or online, part of that process undoubtedly involves considering how you will get to know and build rapport with your students. There are endless options to choose from, and if you are like me, you probably implement multiple every year to ease students in the first week […]