U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos released the following statement on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2018 Civics, Geography, and U.S. History Assessments for 8th Graders: “America’s antiquated approach to education is creating a generation of future leaders who will not have a foundational understanding of what makes this country exceptional. We cannot […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Up At Night, Thinking of My Students’ Well-Being – Here’s Why, and What We Can Do About It
I have a confession to make: since school doors have closed and education has moved online, I have slept terribly. Insomnia arouses my slumber around 2 or 3 a.m., and I tend to look at the ceiling for an hour before trodding downstairs for my first cup of coffee. What’s cajoling this 8th-grade teacher into […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
The New Normal: Teaching is as it Should Be
Here we go again. Many people are struggling with the new normal surrounding education and COVID-19. The kids have too much work. The teachers aren’t doing enough. It’s all busywork. Can you believe there are 5 live class meetings each week? Can you believe there is only 1 live meeting a week? How will students […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Teaching with a mask on: How does a corona school function?
25,327 deaths. 579, 005 infections. 16.9 million unemployment claims. $1200 stimulus check. 124,000 schools closed. 55 million students impacted. Thirty-five million COVID-19 tests needed—every day. The numbers are staggering. The grief is real and relentless. Our collective losses, although significant, are dwarfed by a terrible state of limbo. When will the country re-open? How will the country re-open? Of course, […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
New York City Schools Are Closed. Now What?
We pride ourselves on toughness in New York City. Part of this identity has been the rareness of school closures. Arguing with the mayor about snow days we didn’t get is an annual ritual for New York City public school teachers and families (before climate change at least). So, the decision to close our schools […]
Posted inOpinion
Education is Political and Governor DeSantis Is Playing a Dangerous Game
Guest Writer: Tamara Russell Education is political. This is an inescapable fact. Here in Florida, we are seeing a resurgence of public interest in how decisions get made around education. Let me tell you who is not getting asked about a darn thing: teachers. No one asked us if we thought it would be ‘normal’ […]
Posted inOpinion
Why Would Anyone Choose to Be a Teacher in 2022?
Guest Writer: Madison Woodward When I was a child, I used to play teacher and do lessons to my stuffed animals in my room, I even received an overhead projector for Christmas one year. But as I got older, I worried more about money and prestige than anything else; I did not want to be […]
Posted inInstructional Strategies
Teaching from Home Part 2: Using Google Classroom to Stay Semi Connected
Less control brings a demand for the extra effort. In Chapter 1 of Teaching from Home imaginary book, I start by saying: Being away from the students has made the job more difficult. Teaching from home pushes challenges that normally exist in the spotlight. How do I reach the hardest to reach students? How do […]