What should teachers include in their grade book? Coming from several school cultures where there is a category for everything and almost everything is graded, I notice a recurring theme. Students who typically do well continue to do so, but the students who struggle rarely find success. The fact that homework, classwork, quizzes, and tests […]
Posted inAsk a Teacher, Current Events in Education, Featured, From the Front Lines, Teacher Branding
For the Teachers Who Don't Support Other Teachers
Every week in my inbox, I receive emails from teachers who are teetering on the edge of total breakdowns. Sometimes they’re stressed about their evaluations while other times they are stressed about the ever increasing workload being put on them, but more times than not, they’re in virtual tears because they cannot feed their families. Sometimes […]
Posted inElementary School, English Language Learners, Instruction & Curriculum, Literacy, Uncategorized
Seeking the Truth in Mexico City
Just a few days ago I found myself in Castillo de Chapultepec, on top of a large hill in Mexico City. The castle was formerly a military academy, presidential and imperial residence, and is now the site of the Museo Nacional de Historia (The National History Museum). I had come to Mexico City to escape […]
Posted inEnglish Language Learners, ESOL, Languages, Literacy, The International Teacher, Uncategorized
International Mother Language Day-February 21st
By the time you read this article, International Mother Language Day may have or may not have already come and gone, but in case you didn’t even realize it was a day to celebrate, let me enlighten you! Mother languages in a multilingual approach are essential components of quality education, which is itself the foundation for empowering women […]
Posted inFeatured, From the Front Lines, High School, Opinion
Why is He in my Class? Dealing with Difficult Students
We all have difficult students and some are more difficult than others. I have never shied away from a challenging student. I have my “projects” than I am determined to save, even they don’t want to be saved because I believe every child deserves someone who believes in him or her. I am proud to […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, From the Front Lines, Opinion
Teacher Expertise: You Have the Time & You Have a Say Outside the Classroom
I don’t know how your state is treating educators these days, but in my state, coming from my state legislature, education is constantly under attack. Education is the current hot button and there are bills discussed and passed daily to undermine all I do. Common Core, AP classes, character education, teacher tenure, and teacher due process are […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, Social Justice
Teaching Children Living in Poverty
Children who live in http://theeducatorsroom.com/2013/05/working-in-a-high-poverty-environment/poverty need additional support when they attend school. According to a recent article in the Washington Post a majority of public school students are living in poverty. This is based on statistics from the 2013-2014 school year which showed that the number of students receiving free or reduced lunch is now […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Uncategorized
Harper Lee's Impact on My World
In early 1998, I sat in my Honors 9th Grade Literature Class with several of my friends. So far that year, we had already discussed our summer reading, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, read works by Edgar Allen Poe, and play-acted Romeo and Juliet. Now, we were going to start a book that […]