Writing across the curriculum is not a new idea. In fact, for over a decade we have seen professional development and training about how to incorporate more writing in more content areas other than ELA. The National Writing Project (NWP) has been a leader in the pursuit of bringing more and better writing instruction to […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
A Teacher’s Goodbye to His Preacher
In the Bible, Jesus is referred to by the term “rabbi” at least 15 times, mostly by his disciples. The amount of times that He “taught” or “teaches” people is debatable, but one can argue that each time Jesus talked, there was a lesson that was to be involved. No, Jesus didn’t differentiate or call […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
Trump’s First 100 Days in My Classroom
When I reflect on Donald Trump’s first 100 days I think back to May of 2016. At the time I wrote that teachers had a moral obligation to stand up to Donald Trump’s hate speech. I did not write this as a Democrat or because of any other partisan or political affiliations. I wrote this […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
Teacher Appreciation Week
Ah, Teacher Appreciation Week. When we reach this time of the year, I often glance at this limerick I wrote my first year of teaching: Oh my, it’s been quite the yearI’ve been tested ear-to-earDaily by these studentsWho tried my patienceAt least school year’s end is near! While I wrote it mostly in jest, it […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Science Under Fire: A Day After the March for Science
In the morning hours of April 22, 2017—Earth Day—scientists, teachers, students, concerned citizens, and activists gathered in Washington D.C. to show their support for a single subject: science. There were no shouts for NGSS, no calls against Common Core, no jeering at climate change. Instead, all who gathered for the March for Science were attempting […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
The Struggles of Grading Writing: It’s the Process That Matters
I absolutely hate assigning a letter grade to student writing; it’s depressing. Not because my students are bad writers because they aren’t. It’s that I hate to see all the mini-lessons, and drafting, revising, editing, conversations, and growing as writers reduced to one letter. A percentage in the grade book. As soon as that grade is […]
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Family Planning as a Teacher
Last October, I told my boss that I was pregnant. Naturally, he asked about the due date. When I said that the baby was due two weeks after school ended, he said, “Perfect timing!” I sighed relief. When I was pregnant with my first child, my principal was not supportive; she suggested that I intentionally […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
’13 Reasons Why’ Needs to Lead to an Open and Honest Conversation
SPOILERS AHEAD! On March 31, Netflix released all 13 episodes of 13 Reasons Why, a series based on the 2007 novel Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. It chronicles the story of Hannah Baker, played by Katherine Langford, as she narrates the 13 reasons why she decided to commit suicide. Those 13 reasons are based […]