Every year, I hope to create a safe space for my students. You never really know the dynamic of your class or how the kids will feel. You strive for the best while you hope it all works out. It’s always interesting to see how my class dynamic is never the same, and there are […]
Posted inClassroom Management
Teacher Rage: Using Science to Transform Triggers
There was a long moment of silence after I’d turned around and hurled my chalk to the floor with great force, eyes glaring, lips bared, a growl escaping from between my clenched teeth. Chalk dust was settling on my shoulders, and my seventh-grade class was staring at me like I was a wild animal. The […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
Trump signs education executive orders targeting AI, ‘woke’ ideology, and workforce development
President Donald Trump signed a series of executive orders on April 23 aimed at overhauling key aspects of U.S. education policy. The wide-ranging actions touch nearly every level of education — from K–12 classrooms to higher education institutions — and seek to advance workforce readiness while scaling back what the administration calls “ideological overreach.” Boosting […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
Federal judge blocks enforcement of Trump DEI policy in K-12 schools
Two federal judges, on Thursday, from both New Hampshire and Maryland blocked Trump administration directives that threatened to cut federal funding from public schools implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. US District Judge Landya McCafferty from New Hampshire sharply criticized and partially blocked a Trump administration policy that threatened to cut federal funding from […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Seeing Them Clearly: What my students taught me about stereotypes
Educators don’t always have the luxury of complete control of the curriculum or class size. What we do have is the power to check if stereotyping students is a silent danger that could impact how we teach and what students learn. We, ourselves, are just as likely to be stereotyped by the students who may […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Kindergarten nearly broke me: Classroom chaos to virtual success
On my first day in a classroom full of kindergarteners, I stood before them in the most adorable flats designed to look like pencils. On the board, I had the most perfectly crafted calendar full of rainbows and polka dots. My heart and face were full of hope and joy for the year ahead. A […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Dystopian Teacher Tales: Cool swag at the school fair!
The following story is fictional, set in a third Trump term. The President has recently alluded to the idea of seeking a third term, and as imagined in this story, that could lead to deep-rooted changes for children in schools. In the story, a single mother and her son Jamaal struggle with finding a proper […]
Posted inSpecial Education
Words Matter: A teacher’s response to Robert F. Kennedy’s statement on autism
Words matter. We often learn this simple but important concept before we enter preschool or kindergarten. For some reason, many people with large platforms often seem to forget this principle. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is a prime example of individuals who have forgotten the power and potential harm that words […]