On June 29, 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Federal-Aid Highway Act, creating a “national system of interstate and defense highways.” The work to create a national system of highways, now something we seemingly take for granted, was nearly an unprecedented public first waged by President Franklin D. Roosevelt with a bill of the […]
Posted inElectives & Special Areas
Black History Month and PBL: Ideas for Educators
As we enter February, 2018, schools across America will engage in activities celebrating Black History Month in the United States. There is a strong current in secondary education today where the goal is to move classroom activities away from teacher-centered activities toward “project-based learning” or PBL. This trend has specific criteria that ensure rigorous learning […]
Posted inTeacher Leaders
Three Simple Steps to Positive Classroom Culture
Many teachers know what it’s like to work in a toxic work environment. I had a brief stint as the director of an after-school program, so I’ve been on both sides of the situation. The year I managed those nine after-school educators was a disaster in many ways, but it taught me an unforgettable lesson […]
Posted inOpinion
Reflection: World Hijab Day and Teaching
The hijab, an item Muslim women wear to express modesty taught within their faith, might seem oppressive to people outside of this faith. This is why Nazma Khan created World Hijab Day in 2013 to be celebrated annually on the first day of February. Through this day, she hoped to bring understanding and tolerance. When […]
Posted inOpinion
Where’s Waldo? The Case of the Missing Principal
At the helm of the school is the principal. In some schools, the principal is nowhere to be found or everywhere but inside of classrooms. The essential duties teachers would like the principal to make a priority seem like more of an item to check off of the principal’s list. If you ask a principal […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Building Reading Comprehension
Reading comprehension is the ability to read something, process what is saying, and understand what is saying. As an English teacher, I feel like teaching reading comprehension is one of the most important things that I teach my students. While students can be strong readers, sometimes they struggle with understanding the deeper meaning behind the […]
Posted inAsk a Teacher
The State of Our Union, The State of Our Schools
Year One. Friday, January 20, 2017, saw the inauguration of the 45th president of the United States of America. On January 25, 2017, I hesitantly pushed the publish button — sharing my thoughts with the internet with my first piece: “I am a Feminist, but I didn’t vote for Hillary Clinton.” Therefore, Trump’s ascendency and […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Coaching the Coaches: the Benefits of Instructional Coaches
Many teachers consider themselves to be coaches rather than just instructors. We are not just imparting knowledge, but we are there to mentor our students and develop them into becoming better thinkers, writers, readers, doers. We don’t bark orders, rather we kneel down and workshop papers and assist in labs and calculations. It is reasonable to […]