This column is a series of fiction stories inspired by reality. We publish short stories written by teachers each week. This week, a principal recounts her last week before summer break. If anyone ever tells you elementary principals, have it easy in May, they’ve never tried to corral 600 sugar-charged children through Field Day, an […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
Judge blocks Trump’s attempt to dismantle Department of Education
In a significant legal setback for the Trump administration, U.S. District Judge Myong Joun issued a preliminary injunction on Thursday halting efforts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. The judge’s decision also mandates reinstating over 1,300 employees terminated as part of a mass layoff on March 11. Judge Myong issued an injunction blocking the […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Dr. Jennifer Pratt: A legacy of learning, leading, and lasting impact
Dr. Jennifer Pratt’s journey in education is a testament to the power of passion, perseverance, and purpose. From the very beginning, her love for learning and her desire to help others have been the driving forces behind a career marked by innovation, inclusivity, and impact. “A love for learning and helping others sparked my journey […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
The Carbon Copy: As told by Ms. Reyes, Honors Chemistry Teacher and Reluctant AI Detective
I’ve taught chemistry at Eastwood High for thirteen years. Long enough to tell when something doesn’t add up—even when it looks perfect on paper. It started last Tuesday, after I finished grading the midterms. Normally, I’d be overjoyed when students scored high, but this time, something was off—way off. Three of my juniors: Dustin, Eliana […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Standardized testing killed my career.
Standardized testing killed my career. We live in a country where teachers are not respected on the whole. They are tasked with teaching a group of diverse learners with so many different backgrounds, learning styles, and degrees of readiness -whether developmental or amount of exposure. There are special needs students and students who are not […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
5 Reasons Subbing Might Be Right for You
I never planned on becoming a recovering subbing educator. It just happened. It was the end of my final year as a full-time teacher. One week earlier, I had led what I thought was a killer lesson about The Outsiders. I made all the right teacher moves. My students activated multiple kinds of learning. There […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Idaho teacher resigns over inclusive classroom sign
Sarah Inama, a sixth-grade history teacher at Lewis and Clark Middle School in Meridian, Idaho, has submitted her resignation following a dispute with the West Ada School District over inclusive signage in her classroom. Inama, a veteran educator, chose to step down rather than comply with a district directive to remove a poster that read […]
Posted inEnglish Language Learners
The Transformative Power of Literature Circles
Walk into any given classroom and survey the students about reading. Some students will say that they love it, others may say they read because they have to, and another group would put it last on their list of things they enjoy about school. Perhaps they just haven’t found a book genre they love, or […]