“…and what is that award for?” the boy asked pointing to the right corner of the book. I was showing students in a 2nd grade class the cover of the picture book Last Stop on Market Street, written by American author Matt de la Peña and illustrated by Christian Robinson. The boy was pointing to a black medallion, pasted under […]
Posted inThe State of Education
Teaching, Unions and Parenting in New York
Teaching these days drives one to read and research whenever possible about what has been going on. I read an old article with a title that grabbed my attention. My search was driven by curiosity regarding the roles of teacher unions moving forward, as well as what they have been doing (or not doing) for the […]
Posted inOpinion
The Emotional Roller Coaster of the Snow Day: Memes that Capture it All
With all the talk snow this past week in North Carolina, teachers and students alike seemed anxious in anticipation of a snow day. Me? I just kept thinking about make-up days and how much I hate having them. Needless to say, while my kids were disappointed in the lack of snow, I was not. We still […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
Who is the Teacher: School or Family?
I saw a discussion post on Facebook the other day about education. No surprise. Everyone went to school, everyone has learned something in their life, so everyone has an opinion. Parents are passionate about their kids and have opinions about all things school. This discussion, however, was a newer one to me. It was about […]
Posted inTeacher Burnout
Teaching is Really all About Love
It took me years to embrace this truth: teaching really is all about love. To all those cynics who immediately say there is more to it: yes, of course, the skills of a teacher extend beyond the heart. But nothing matters without love. Why is this so hard to accept? Even those of us who […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Podcasts in the Classroom: My Students
Author’s Note: This article is part 1 of using podcasts in the classroom and looks at my classes’ personal experiences with them. Part 2 of the article will focus on the benefits, uses, and tools of podcasts in the classroom. _________________________________________________________ In Spring 2016, my co-taught World Literature class sat furiously writing. On each desk […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
Seven Reforms Needed in Education
Have you signed up for The Educator’s Room Daily Newsletter? Click here and support independent journalism! I love what I do. I love where I work. I love with whom I work. I feel like I am given the space I need to do my job, and I believe my admins are sincere whenever they offer to help […]
Posted inOpinion
Text Evidence in the Common Core: There Are Such Things as Facts
The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) were released in 2009. They are now seven years old. I will admit that I was not initially enthusiastic about the English Language Arts literacy standards. I felt they were heavy in non-fiction…(no, wait.. heavy in “informational texts”). The CCSS suggested a typical student should have a reading diet filled with informational texts […]