Read Part I of this Article I here. While the Tyson/Holyfield match certainly marked the end of Iron Mike’s boxing career, his decline had begun years before. In 1990, Tyson found himself in the ring against a lesser known fighter named James “Buster” Douglas. It was clear from the start that Tyson was in for […]
Posted inClassroom Management, Featured, Opinion
Making Learning Extra-Ordinary: A Sarcastic Stab at EduJargon
During my first week as president of our local association, I shared a copy of a “Faculty Meeting Bingo” manipulative with all our members as a joke regarding educators’ over-reliance on edu-jargon. Eventually, this information made it to our superintendent, who wasn’t too pleased with the actions of his new opposite. Yet I utilized the wait time to […]
Posted inClassroom Management, From the Front Lines, Parents
Taking Care of Business: Managing Difficult Situations at School
Something happened to me the past week that I’ve never experienced in my years of teaching: I had one student accuse another student of touching him inappropriately. You can only imagine the chaos that has ensued over the past week and a half, and we still don’t have a resolution to this difficult situation. Because I own my […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
The Sound and The Fury, The Bite Fight, and the Demise Of Standardized Testing: Part I
I sat on the couch with popcorn and soda ready for the match. “Dad! Come on, Don King is on camera!” Wide-eyed, I watched the infamous boxing promoter smile and chat with his evening’s guest. It was 1997, I was 15 years old, and had never really been into boxing. My experience with the sport […]
Posted inTeacher Leaders
Wanted: Empathy for Our Students
For me, empathy has always been one of the most important character traits of a teacher. I brought empathy into my classroom from the day I started teaching. It had a lot to do with my childhood which was different from most in the time period in which I was born. My father died just before […]
Posted inInstructional Strategies
Relationships Matter: How Building Trust Boosts Classroom Performance
No significant learning can occur without a significant relationship. — James Comer Take a moment to think about this James Comer quote. No significant learning can occur without a significant relationship. In other words, learning is about relationships. But if that’s the case, we’d better get to work on that, right? Or does that relationship begin to build from day […]
Posted inSocial Justice
Failing our Poor Students: A Crisis of Morality and Character
Our schools aren’t failing, we all are. When outcomes for our poorest students are the concern, education reform advocates like to point to”failing schools”, but it’s not just about schools. It isn’t out-of-touch middle class parents, teachers and their unions, or civil rights organizations willing to challenge the “school choice” narrative. Those are only convenient scapegoats […]
Posted inTeacher Leaders
Yes, You Do Have to Help Everyone
Yes, you do have to help everyone. I cannot tell you deeply it irks my soul when teachers give up on kids. Of course, if you asked them, they would insist that they haven’t given up. I disagree. Being willing to help a student who asks for it is not enough. It is not enough […]