Every day I cover at least one current event topic with my sophomore Global History and Geography classes. Recently, only one issue dominates the coronavirus. We began our discussions a month ago by looking at China and predicting the impact on the economy. As the days progressed, we viewed pictures taken by NASA showing diminishing […]
Posted inOpinion
Opinion: Things Are Weird Right Now
Guest Writer: Jill Jackson The last year as an educator has been a weird one for me. First, I was rejected from speaking at a conference that I never applied to speak at. Here’s the rejection letter, in case you’re interested: Good Morning and Happy Holidays! After careful consideration, unfortunately, your speaker’s expressed […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Schoolhouse Crisis: Teachers Exiting
We are in the midst of a schoolhouse crisis. A Learning Policy Institute study predicted a shortfall of over 100,000 teachers each year starting several years ago. The science seems to be confirmed by anecdotal evidence of teachers heading for the exits. Furthermore, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released findings last fall […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
A WIN for Teachers
Guest Writer: Charlotte Walker A few years ago under new school leadership, our school instituted WIN Time. WIN is an acronym for “What I need” and is a 30 minute, four days a week reading intervention block. For the first time in the 20 years I had worked for the district, our classroom para-educators were […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
The Danger of Wanting to be a Perfect Teacher
When I first decided to become an educator, I remember thinking, “I’m going to be a perfect teacher.” As a student, my teachers (even the ones I didn’t have the best experience with) always seemed to have it together. They knew the answers to all our questions, their lessons (even the more uninteresting ones) were […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
President Mike Bloomberg Would Be a Nightmare for Public Schools
#NeverBloomberg There are so many reasons Mike Bloomberg should not win the Democratic presidential primary. Using his billions to buy votes, his racist rationale for the 2008 housing crisis, his similarly racist and stubborn commitment to stop and frisk policing, and his misogynistic treatment of women are just a few of his recently publicized disqualifications. […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
Teach Hard History. We All Need It
I am a social studies educator. Emblazoned on the wall of my classroom is a sign proclaiming “I Teach Hard History.” Earlier this year my students looked at vivid, graphic, and unfiltered views of the Middle Passage that brought enslaved Africans to the New World. I’ve challenged students to think about whether or not the […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Check up on your Teacher Friends
It’s the dead of winter. It’s either right after or right before Spring break for us. We may be watching teacher strikes across the country or be a part of these strikes ourselves. Our students are tired. We are tired. We are overwhelmed. [bctt tweet=”Our students are tired. We are tired. We are overwhelmed.” username=””] […]