I committed a cardinal sin of teaching: I broke my contract. After nearly four years, I walked away for good in the middle of January. I gave my principal my two weeks notice through tears, but immediately felt the relief I had been longing for since July. When the pandemic first hit I wrote about […]
Posted inAsk a Teacher
Abbott Elementary: Normally I Encourage Cheating- Episode 4 Recap
This week was all about new reading programs- the one constant thing elementary teachers experience each year. At Abbott Elementary, this change is mixed with enthusiasm (Janine) and disdain from literally everyone, else-especially Barbara. From technology errors to abandoning the way phonics should be taught, Barbara is frustrated and resorts to just inputting random data […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Teachers Who Are Parents : The Forgotten Demographic in Decision Making Within Education
Teachers who are Parents: When we were first placed on distance learning back in March of 2020, I remember thinking how privileged I was to have a son who could still attend childcare. I listened to my colleagues who had children and thought about how difficult it would be to try and teach my students […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Literacy Matters and We Need to Start Acting Like It
The aha moment hit me nearly two months too late. For weeks, I had been working with one of our SPED teachers to figure out how to get students to turn in their work. After years of effectively managing my classes through meaningful work with clear deadlines, I was overwhelmed by the number of student […]
Posted inAdult Learning
Adapting Was in The Teacher’s Job Description
By Elizabeth Cardiel After teaching for only three years, I was incredibly grateful to find a position in a bilingual 1st-grade classroom. Just a few months later the world was sent into quarantine and the profession of teaching was changed forever. My grade-level team and I had planned and brained stormed on the best ways […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Instructional Roadblocks? Shifts in Point-of-View Can Help Reveal Viable Solutions
Lauren Ewe The new year has begun, and we find ourselves gearing up for the second stretch of the school year. Many make resolutions, and educators often think about how to better tackle issues that have emerged since the start of school. January tends to be when teachers look to reel in their students and […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Teaching in a Pandemic Has Changed Me in these Five Ways
By: Shannan C. Rose Testing day, observations, curriculum plans, differentiation, team meetings, and PD’s to help you in the classroom, but are these really helping? The stressors and time management feel hopeless for most teachers. Educators have had to learn and engage students differently, let alone the learning gaps to bring students to grade level. […]
Posted inAdult Learning
Here’s How We Can Believe in The Dreams of Youth Experiencing Homelessness
The most recent 10 years of my 20-year career in education have been focused on eliminating the barriers that homelessness presents in education. When I meet with students and families, I address immediate needs, such as transportation to school and access to food, as those are pressing. But I always ask one life-affirming question before […]