“But I can express myself only through writing. I don’t know any other way,” said my 10-year-old student. “Now, how do I respond to this?” I wondered. Still figuring out within myself, I was in for a surprise when the teacher within me immediately agreed with the student. “Yes, I agree. I have seen you […]
Building from Scratch: How we raised standards in a new International Baccalaureate School
Starting a new program is every educator’s dream and nightmare. You get to design everything from scratch—but you also carry the weight of every decision. In 2016, I embraced one of my greatest challenges yet: becoming the MYP Language Teacher and Head of the English Department at a new International Baccalaureate (IB) school in Amman, […]
Reclaiming your peace in special education
At the beginning of my teaching career, I benefited from the fierce advocacy of veteran teachers who advocated for students and staff. I was very empowered by their support. As they retired, I often found myself being the only person willing to stand up for our most vulnerable students: students with disabilities and students from […]
The Power of Stories as Bridges: From assumption to understanding
I grew up in 1970s Las Vegas, during the era of school desegregation and redlining, a discriminatory housing practice where banks and the government literally drew red lines around minority neighborhoods, denying families access to fair home loans and shaping inequities in schools and educational opportunities. I didn’t know what redlining was back then. What […]
Federal Judge: Education Department unlawfully used partisan messaging during shutdown
According to a federal judge, the Department of Education was unlawful in using partisan messaging on out-of-office automatic replies during the recent government shutdown. On Friday, November 8, Judge Christopher R. Cooper of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia found that the Department of Education “infringed upon its employees’ First Amendment rights” […]
Oh SNAP! Food for Thought: When Policy Starves the Classroom
We’ve all joked about being hangry. We say it when we snap at someone before lunch or feel our brains fog mid-afternoon.We know hunger makes us short-tempered, distracted — a little less human. Now imagine being seven years old and living in that feeling all the time. As lawmakers debate another round of SNAP cuts […]
How the Government Shutdown has Triggered my Teacher Shame
Teacher Shame, a term I use to describe the regular intervals at which I am reminded that I chose a low-paying job that seems to be considered unimportant by society. The current government shutdown has triggered me. The first time I felt this shame was when I watched the faces of my college boyfriend’s family […]
Sick Leave or Sick Lie? When Teachers Can’t Even Call In Dead
On Thursday, I did what every responsible educator does when they’re too sick to be at school: I sent my principals a doctor’s note excusing me until Monday. I also sent in my sub schedules detailed plans to cover the classes I normally support. I thought I’d done everything right. But on Friday at 2:30 […]
