Before I dive into this article, I want to share a few statistics on bullying. Bullying According to the National Education Association’s article, “Nation’s educators continue to push for safe, bully-free environments” “Over 160,000 kids refuse to go to school each day for fear of being bullied.” Andrea Cohn and Andrea Canter, Ph.D. pointed out […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Teachers Matter: Attributes of an Effective Secretary of Education
Recently, Elizabeth Warren made headlines with what seems to be a surprising announcement to many. Warren, who is among many other contenders for the 2020 presidential election, announced that if elected president, she will ensure her Education Secretary is “a former public school teacher who is committed to education.” This comment comes after her (one […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
The Power of Play for All
The 1950s were something of a “golden era” of play. […] Schools had multiple recesses throughout the day, the concept of homework barely existed, and the school year itself was about 4-5 weeks shorter. Fast forward to today….. American kids now spend an average of just 4-7 minutes a day on unstructured outdoor play, and […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Out with Lesson Plans…In with Lesson Design!
Surprise! Lesson design is not a new phrase or concept. However, in the midst of ever-changing educational demands, lesson design has taken a back seat to “lesson plans.” From 5 E to Madeline Hunter, there is a myriad of ways to plan for students. One commonality between these various lesson templates is the idea that […]
Posted inLegal
Copyright Violations in the Classroom: When Beg, Borrow, and Steal Turns into a Crime
When you are a newbie teacher entering the profession, a veteran will pull you to the side and say, “It is okay to beg, borrow, and steal.” It is a teacher right of passage to be told this knowledge and to implement it. Because many schools across the United States are lacking the appropriate resources […]
Posted inConfessions of a Teacher
What a Teacher’s Summer Really Entails
The temperatures are increasing. Neighborhood pools are cleaned and opened on this past Memorial Day weekend. End-of-the-year checklists have been signed and classrooms are prepared for cleaning. The final bell has rung and the last dismissal of the school year is underway. Summertime is here!!! After an intense year, teachers rejoice when the last bus […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Charter Schools Won’t Bring Us Racial Equity
Earlier this month was National Charter Schools Week, but I was not celebrating. To explain, let me start by saying what equity is, and what it’s not. A common social justice definition of equity is everyone getting what they need to thrive. Equity is not improving outcomes for some, while others get the same or […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
MCAS Whitehead Test Prompt-What Were They Thinking?
Lawyers often quote the adage, “Never ask a witness a question unless you know the answer.” That wisdom should have been shared with officials from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) who were forced to remove a test prompt question from the 2019 state standardized test because of complaints by Boston school […]