One matter we have gotten over very quickly as a country is the notion, beginning in 2008 and carried throughout the Obama presidency, that we now live in a “post-racial” society. The fact that an African American was twice-elected to the nation’s highest office gave rise to the idea that racial discord can now be […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Mindfulness in the Math Classroom: Why it Matters and How to do It
Teaching and learning both create stress in students and teachers, especially as learning becomes more high-stakes for everyone. However, through mindfulness activities, teachers and students can become more productive in the process. It helps control emotions, maintain focus, and increase productivity. When emotions run high, you’re going to want to practice these mindfulness techniques in […]
Posted inTeacher Leaders
Watch from the Balcony, Lead on the Floor
Readers were recently asked to complete the following survey: Below is a list of 10 characteristics of successful schools. Which 3 do you think are most important? A comprehensive approach to the needs of the whole child A relentless focus on standards and having students meet them Very high expectations for student behavior Multi-modal, hands-on […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
The Prize: Mark Zuckerberg & His $100 Million Gift to Newark Public Schools (Book Review)
The subtitle of Dale Russakoff’s book begs the question — who’s in charge of America’s schools? In the push-and-pull system of school reformers vs. union members, outsiders vs. insiders, school boards vs. state and federal leaders, elites vs. grassroots, admin vs. teachers, and a host of other stakeholders over the “best interests of students,” it’s not […]
Posted inFeatured
Discovering Dostoevsky in Middle Age: Why Education Is Usually Wasted on the Young
“Did I tell you that’s what I did when I was flying red eyes? I would stare out the window at the stars and get frightened by the enormity of the universe.” – High School Best Friend, Pilot, Autodidact Cory was my best friend in high school. To this day, he remains one of my […]
Posted inConfessions of a Teacher
Stories that Live in our Hearts
We all have stories that live in our hearts. Stories we come back to over and over again for inspiration, comfort, and assurance that we do make a difference. Stories that represent and remind us of the love we have for our students, for our profession. One of my favorite stories is from early in […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
38 Days a Teacher: Leadership, Followership, and Fellowship
I found myself standing in front of 27 students, my first day as their teacher, the Monday after Thanksgiving. I was brought in as their Spanish teacher to pick up the pieces after their previous teacher ran screaming into the night, unable to deal with the behaviors and diverse academic needs of the 130 students […]
Posted inOpinion
An Awful Moment: Choosing to Say Goodbye to a School
Fellow educators, many of us on the front lines in the schools of America are bearing witness to “an awful moment” in the history of education. We are losing many soldiers, as the fight becomes too hard to bear. As many of you in education know, education is clearly supposed to be about the students. […]