I read Maus for the first time nearly 20 years ago. It was required reading for my adolescent literature class, one of the many English classes I took for my undergraduate education program. My professor hoped that we would value using a graphic novel in the English classroom. So I flew through Volume 1 and […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
How to Uncover Hidden Homelessness in the Classroom
Tornadoes, wildfires, evictions, and rising housing costs displace families in ways previously unknown in our communities. National data showed that nearly 1.4 million children, PK-12, experienced homelessness during the 2018-2019 school year, in a pre-pandemic world. What happened since has likely chopped up the data and scattered it in the wind to be found and […]
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Why Transgender Students Need Teachers Who Aren’t Afraid
The battles taking place in the classroom in Virginia are at the core of what it means to be a teacher in American public education today. The debate over mask mandates, the US History curriculum, and how to meet the needs of LGBTQ+ students are all in the news today, with teachers and students in […]
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What Teachers Can Learn from the Life of Cheslie Kryst
I was reading a Facebook (FB) post from the beautiful Gabriella T. Deyi, former Miss Wisconsin USA, Brand Ambassador at Mental Health America of Wisconsin, and one who also happens to be an illustrious alumnus of our high school. I have followed her throughout the years since she graduated, watching her run for Miss USA, establish […]
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Research Paper Alternatives That Will Still Increase Research Skills
I love teaching research writing. No seriously, I do. Look, I know that for a lot of teachers, the mere suggestion of teaching any kind of research writing triggers a whole host of bad memories. Piles of notecards, copies of multiple articles, large encyclopedias open to a single page with tiny print, hours spent trying […]
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Opinion: Fighting Fascism from Our Classrooms
Last week a school board in Tennessee banned Maus, a Pulitzer prize-winning graphic novel about the Holocaust. In Florida, the Governor wants to ban learning experiences that cause “discomfort” to white participants. Across the country, Education Week reports, roughly 1/3 of students are enrolled in districts where “critical race theory” bans are in effect. Collectively, […]
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Filling Your Cup with Science
After teaching 1st and 2nd grade for the past 13 years, with a primary focus on developing reading, writing, and math skills, I decided I needed a change. Although I was pretty successful and enjoyed it thoroughly, I realized that sometimes a simple grade change is just the thing for a teacher to stay fresh […]
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That Time I Finally Took a Stress Leave of Absence
I don’t think anyone, including myself, believed I would go through with it. I finally took a two (2) week medical stress leave as a high school teacher. The guilt. I couldn’t shake the guilt. I felt like I was giving up, letting so many people down, letting myself down. Transparently and honestly, I felt […]