“Oh, you are a teacher? It must be so nice to have two months off. I have a normal job with only two weeks’ vacation.” We have all heard it. And to be honest, we are sick of it. Sure, we get summers “off.” I do not need to mention the workshops, lesson plans, and […]
Why Multicultural Education is the Answer
By Guest Writer Jennifer Healey After days of reading and watching various opinions and analyses of the recent attacks in Paris, I have concluded that the American public school system may well be our most important weapon in the fight against terrorism. When students are taught to respect differences and tolerate that which they […]
Teaching Strategies: Using Kahoot! Software
Teaching Strategy: Using Kahoot! Software 1.Go to www.kahoot.com (or just Google Kahoot if you forget it) 2.Create an account. Use your school info (email and such) 3. If you’ve already created an account, log in 4. Then you’re at your Kahoot homepage a.On the right-hand side of the page, you’ll see the following: 1.My Stats […]
Teacher Tips: Teacher Collaboration
When I was new to teaching, I once looked forward to collaborative meetings in hopes that I would learn new techniques and gather useful advice. I also yearned to be useful. At my first department meeting, a more experienced teacher began complaining right off the bat (we had been tasked with improving our writing instruction […]
9 Simple Ways to Prevent Burnout in Special Ed Teachers
I recently wrote an entry on my other blog about how I intended to embrace laziness this year, amongst other things, because I feel that I work so hard that I often run myself into the ground. I work hard in my personal life, as the parent of a child with autism, but I work […]
Just Say NO! How To Do It the Right Way
As special educators, we often feel obligated to do more than our job requires. The job description becomes blurrier and blurrier with time as we get more job responsibilities tacked on with time–you know you can do that Educational Testing, write that report, and work with kids in small groups, all while following an inclusion […]
Dear Leaders: A Letter from a Teacher
Teachers have an untapped resource we have not been using. We have knowledge and experience and it is our responsibility to voice our concerns with leaders in our community, state and nation. What would happen if every teacher wrote to someone in power? What if you stopped what you were doing right now and wrote […]
Eight Ways to Teach Spelling to All Learners
For some of us, spelling comes easily. For others, like me, it is wildly apparent that English is derived from a confusing array or sources. While most good spellers are good readers, not all good readers are good spellers. Still, kids need to be held accountable for their spelling. Every fall parents ask about spelling: […]
