by: Sam Wilkerson At some point in time I think many parents wonder or at least give fleeting consideration to the notion of homeschooling their children. However only an exceptional few have the direction and confidence to move forward along the path with clear goals and a plan of action for enriching their children’s education. […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum, Opinion
Here We Go Again–Another Year of State Testing
High stakes testing is a common discussion within education today. There are teachers who are willing to risk their educational careers to step up and voice their opinions about all of the testing being given in our schools today. I have always believed you have to advocate for your children. I do that constantly. If […]
Posted inFrom the Front Lines, Instruction & Curriculum
Twitter Chat Tonight! 9PM EST #theedroom
 Join us tonight at 9PM EST on Twitter (@theeducatorsroom) to discuss the teachers at Ballard High School and Garfield High School in Seattle, Washington who refuse to administer a standardized test to students! Share your thoughts with us. Is this a great act of civil disobedience or are the teachers just overacting? Use the hashtag […]
Posted inFine Arts, From the Front Lines, Instruction & Curriculum, Opinion
Based on a True Story: A Critical Look at Teachers in Movies
I remember having a romanticized view of teaching while I was in college. Though I can attribute some of this to a few overly idealistic professors, I mostly blame the movies. It was probably one week into student teaching when I came to the painful realization that I did not have the ability to magically […]
Posted inCharter Schools, Current Events in Education, High School
Charter School Diaries No. 2 – Paying Attention to Our Work
This was pre-midterm week at school. Anxiety was indeed high among the students and also among the administrators within my building. This week, I took the opportunity to recap everything I possibly could with my students – stuff that we had learned in September all the way up to last week. I handed out study guides that my students […]
Posted inOpinion
Adopting a State Legislator for a Day: Teachers Get Political
Teachers don’t often consider themselves to be in a political profession. If they are active in their union, they may take interest when their contract is bargained with their district. Teachers are usually fairly well-informed when they decide to vote. But beyond this basic civic participation, educators’ focus usually remains steadfast on their student’s well-being […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum, Social Studies
Learning With Our Inner-Gamer: Using Board Games in the Social Studies Classroom
The idea of using games in the classroom has been a popular practice for teachers across varying disciplines for years. Board games have offered meaningful ways for teachers to easily captive students in learning experiences; scenario based games have offered teachers means to encourage students to think more deeply about topics; card games have offered […]
Posted inUncategorized
Special Education: Addressing the Elephant in the Room
It’s time to address the ‘elephant in the room’. Special and general education teachers must actively engage in open, honest communication. The worse thing any teacher can endure as a co-teacher is showing up for your co-teaching experience each day feeling like a visitor in the class and like the students, you eagerly wait to […]