Among education writers, I am most known for my piece, “Teachers Quit Principals, Not Schools.” Currently, this piece has been read more than 650,000 times. This piece struck a chord with educators around the country because the reality is many teachers are not happy working in their current school environment and although the principal has […]
Posted inSocial Justice
Teaching: Taking on the Moral Imperatives (Part I)
What moral imperatives? I have been thinking more about the moral imperatives of teaching. These imperatives can hinder instruction and progress. That’s why the only option is to address and hopefully resolve them. They are moral imperatives because it’s wrong to not handle them. Preparing students academically-now that’s the job, a duty. Consultants, education experts/leaders (folks who travel around and talk about […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Coaching the Players: Teaching the Teachers
Note: This idea came to me upon receiving my promotion as an Instructional Coach. A close friend gave me a (Sports Coach) whistle, along with a great card and a balloon to help me celebrate. I keep my whistle hanging in my office right next to my calendar to remind me of the similarities in […]
Posted inHigh School, History, Instruction & Curriculum, Middle School, Professional Development, Social Justice, Social Studies, The Traveling Teacher
Around the Nation’s Capital: The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Whether you live in the Washington, DC metro area or are visiting as a tourist from far away, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum should be at the top of your itinerary. Located just off the National Mall at Independence and 14th Streets, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) tells the compelling story of […]
Posted inHow to Fix Education
Despite the Teacher Shortage, Some Educators Need to be Coached out of the Profession
When you are a teacher, it is easy to be so consumed with your classroom that you might not notice the work of your colleagues. You might assume your principal did a great job of hiring your colleagues and they are all working their butts off to do what is best for our students just […]
Posted inCommon Core
“Let Them Eat Cake:” How Teachers Can Resist Banned Words
Words never uttered can be extremely significant. Often the perception of words said (or unsaid) carry more importance than truth. In October of 1789, Marie Antoinette did not look down at the swarming hordes of fishmonger women storming the Palace on Versailles and […]
Posted inHow to Fix Education
2018…Helping Teachers Have the Best Year Ever
One year ago, I made the decision to write down what I hoped for The Educator’s Room. It took me many tries, but when I finally hit publish, I was confident that 2017 would be the year where things would become easier for not only the writers of The Educator’s Room but for education as […]
Posted inOpinion
The BEST New Year’s Resolution for Teachers: STOP EXCUSING Student Profanity
“For as good manners cannot subsist without good laws, so those laws cannot be put into execution without good manners.” – Machiavelli When I was a high school freshman many years ago, I once told a fellow student in a fit of annoyance to “stop bitching” about something. My teacher glanced over and with […]