A favorite education professor probably told you that being humble is a trait of an effective teacher. They probably read a 2011 ASCD article about “what makes for an effective teacher” and shared it with their students. They probably also shared the notion that a great teacher continually puts others ahead of themselves. Dave Stuart, Jr. […]
Posted inConfessions of a Teacher
Confession of a Self-Conscious Teacher: I’m Afraid to Turn Around in Class
I am a middle school teacher and have taught for almost nine years now, but I have a confession to make. Turning my back on my students terrifies that crap out of me. I manage to keep my cool when I go up to the board to work out problems, but the minute I turn […]
Posted inKindergarten
Kindergarten Readiness: 10 Things Your Child Should Know
It’s almost Kindergarten readiness screening time for my school, and it is exciting to see the new faces that will walk through our doors come September. But it can also be a very frustrating time for Kindergarten teachers because it seems that our little angels with their shining eyes enter with an ever-shrinking knowledge base. […]
Posted inFeatured
One Standardized Test, Many Different Student Stories
Testing is upon us or was upon us a couple of weeks ago. Scores are coming back and no matter what, there are consequences to those scores. I have never made it a secret that I completely disagree with the way our system uses standardized testing. Standardized testing only measures where a student is now, […]
Posted inBook Review
Movie Review: Tested
Think that there’s a lot on the line for kids taking tests? Plenty of pressure? Stress? Difficulties? Mess? Welcome to New York City Public Schools, says writer, producer, and director Curtis Chin in his film Tested. His story line follows twelve 8th grade students who are wrangling over the decision to take the Specialized High School […]
Posted inTechnology
Google Classroom Part 2: How to Set It Up
Alright, you’ve decided to give Google Classroom a try…now what? Here is a basic guide to begin using Google Classroom. Step 1: Create a Classroom Page Sign into your google account and go to www.classroom.google.com. Click the plus-sign (+) next to your email address (top right-hand corner). Select “create a class” and title it. You […]
Posted inCharter Schools
When Charter Companies Bail Out on Students
Charter companies have found a friendly home in Philadelphia. They are often granted charters over parental and neighborhood protests. Charter companies are more likely to be approved over parent-teacher groups wanting to focus on trying new educational ideas. Until recently, Philadelphia rarely refused to renew contracts with charter companies even when the schools they ran […]
Posted inHow to Fix Education, Uncategorized
Race and Racisim in the Classroom: 3 Ways to Start a Difficult Conversation
Recently I’ve been doing a lot of thinking, writing and talking about how to discuss race and racism in a classroom setting. As an elementary school teacher, one of the first challenges I have to overcome is convincing people that we should even try to do this. Understandably, a lot of people worry about “exposing” […]