“The pen is the tongue of the mind.” – Horace, Roman Poet The power of the pen wields so much more than just getting one’s voice into the world. And we all know how powerful the tongue is. Proverbs 18:21 puts it this way: “The tongue has the power of life and death” (Bible, New International […]
Michele Lamons-Raiford
Michele Lamons-Raiford is a hearing American Sign Language (ASL) and English teacher at Pinole Valley High School in the West Contra Costa Unified School District. She has been a High School teacher for the past twenty years, as well as an Adjunct Instructor at Solano Community College for the past fifteen years. She has a BA and MA in English from Cal State University Sacramento, and teaching credentials in English and ASL from Cal State University East Bay. She is a devoted wife, a mother of a beautiful Neurodiverse Son, and a lifelong Advocate for ASL, Deaf Culture, Students with Special Needs, Culturally Relevant, Culturally Affirming, Anti-Racist School Cultures, Climates, and Diversity in Educational Institutions and Organizations.
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
An Analysis of Why You Should Teach The Deeper the Roots by Michael Tubbs
I first met Michael Tubbs when he was a freshman in college at our annual African American Student Union (AASU) trip to Stanford’s High School Black Student Union (BSU) Conference. His raw, real, and relatable personality, coupled with a clearly home-taught respect, gave me a glimpse into the incredible future he had before him. I had no […]
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How Do You Grow As a Teacher? Reflection Without Condemnation
When I look back on my early years as a teacher, I have moments that I remember and literally cringe at, thankful for how far I have come. Not from the typical woes of learning this craft, but at my previous mindset, something I said or did, or something I wouldn’t dare teach now. Without […]
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Do You Still Want to Become a Teacher? – A Student’s Perspective
I remember being in a grocery store line when someone noticed my basket full of snacks and asked if I had a daycare. I smiled and replied, “No, I am a teacher.” The stranger’s smile turned from a friendly smile to a semi-frown, full of what seemed to be concern and pity. She proceeded to touch my arm (which transparently has always made me uncomfortable with strangers) and said sadly, “Oh, wow, a teacher? Thank you for your service.” Service? I felt like I was in the military!
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Opinion: How Teachers Triumph Over Trauma When Battling Trauma Ourselves?
“Can I talk to you?” As educators, we are taught to prioritize being the ones to provide others with a safe space, trusted adult, and potentially be that one voice who can talk someone off a literal edge of a breakdown. But what happens when we need the same for ourselves? As a colleague, we […]
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What Teachers Can Learn from an Afghan American Student Living in America
Teaching in Pinole, California over the past twenty years, I can count on one hand the students of Afghan descent I have encountered, let alone taught. As I watched what was unfolding in Afghanistan in the first few weeks of August of 2021, my first thoughts went to my current Afghan student who I have been blessed to know for the past four years. I had her sister in previous years as well. My mind also went back to my first Afghan family from over a decade ago, wherein I also had two of their three sisters. I became close with their families and stay connected to this day.
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The Trauma of Being a Black Educator
There is so much more to being a teacher than the content you teach, especially when you are a Black teacher. My experiences as a Black teacher are heightened even more and undoubtedly shared by many fellow Black educators. When asserting one’s voice is seen as angry, when a desire to be alone is seen […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Being ‘Just a Teacher’ is More Than Enough
“Have you ever thought about going into administration?” The irony in this compliment is that I find myself having to explain why choosing to stay in the classroom should not be seen as a type of “settling”. I am not the only teacher who has heard this at some point in their careers. It was […]