The phone rang, and on the other end was the principal of the elementary school I had interviewed at just a few days prior. The middle school where I had worked until the end of that school year had to lay me off due to low numbers in my special education specialty area. But, my […]
Posted inBack to School
I No Longer Want to Be Professionally Developed Due to Brain Overload
I love conferences. I always have, and now that I’m working in education, I love them even more. My background is in history and archaeology, so there was always a lot of them. You would prepare research, or just go and listen to what other people in the field were doing. Plus, it was always […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Elementary School Resources to Support #Dreamers
Last week Donald Trump made good on yet another one of his campaign threats, and effectively ended the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program. As you’ve probably already heard, this will end the ability for almost 800,000 young people in the United States to go to work, school, and live, out from the […]
Posted inSocial Justice
Our Students’ Uncertain Futures: What does the end of DACA mean for teachers?
“Anyone who is in the United States illegally is subject to deportation.” “Mexico will pay for the wall. 100%. They don’t know it yet, but they’re going to pay for the wall.” “Maybe they’ll be able to deport her.” “It’s our right as a sovereign nation to choose immigrants that we think are the likeliest […]
Posted inTeacher Burnout
Dear Administrators: Let’s Not Make Meetings Suck
It’s 3:30 pm and all of the students have finally cleared campus. You start to gather your belongings to do some grading when the dreaded voice on the intercom comes on. “Faculty and staff our faculty meeting will start promptly at 3:45 pm. Please do not be late as we expect to go until 5:00 […]
Posted inAsk a Teacher
A How To List For Flexible Classroom Seating
I don’t know why it took me so long to jump into flexible classroom seating. After 27 years of dodging clunky desks, tripping over backpacks and watching kids fidget uncomfortably in their hard plastic seats, I had had enough. I’ve had classes as large as 38, and it just was too hard to fit that […]
Posted inBack to School
What Opening 100 Sixth Graders’ Lockers Taught Me About Kids
She was running late for the departing Friday bus. I saw her as she laid there on the floor, sobbing, as other staff members patiently held 100 buses to send the nearly 800 students home for the weekend. “I want my mommmmmmy!” She wailed, with the tears waterfalling down her face. Here lay the sister of […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Putting Books in Student’s Hands: How to Make the Right Match
Last week school started and a whole new group of 8th graders filled the desks in my classroom. Besides talking about the syllabus, creating a social contract, and handing out all of the many things parents have to sign, my biggest goal was to get a book in the hands of each student. [bctt […]