New York has a serious social studies problem. A few years ago cuts were made due to the economy. One of the causalities of the cuts was the 5th and 8th grade social studies exams. If you look at the New York State social studies curriculum that means that the very first social studies test […]
Posted inFeatured, From the Front Lines, The State of Education
The State of Education: I Teach NYC
This article is part of our new feature “State of Education” where we hear what is going on in each state around the country, from an educator in that state. If you would like to write about your state, contact us at info@theeducatorsroom.com! Teaching in New York City during the Bloomberg reign can at […]
Posted inFeatured, Literacy
Can You Read This?
“I cn c y schls r against cell phones. Da lang that students use n wrtng is horrible. Im not sayin im 4 cell phones n schl, but im nt ready 2 say im against them. SMH at this argument. I ll TTYL abt phones n schls.”* How many teachers have seen something like this […]
Posted inFeatured, Opinion
Wikipedia Steps on Women Writers in Stepping Towards the Scholarly
A short-lived category sub-set in a Wikipedia entry set off a feminist firestorm at the end of April. In an editorial for the New York Times titled “Wikipedia’s Sexism,” the writer Amanda Filipacchi noted the removal of women writers from the Wikipedia web page category “American Novelists;” women writers had been regrouped under a new web page, […]
Posted inFeatured, Instruction & Curriculum
Buy Us a Cup of Coffee!
On a daily basis I get an email inquiring how I’m able to run a site full of information that fully supports educators from across the world. While I could give some long, drawn out explanation but usually I just say, “It’s hard.” Everyday I get up and go and teach for 8.5 hours and […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, High School, Middle School, Uncategorized
A Day in the Life of a Teacher in An Urban School
Many times I’m asked what it’s like to work in an urban school in an urban area. Knowing they are genuinely interested, I usually just laugh and tell them to come visit my my classroom. Knowing the 99.9% of them won’t, I decided to give a real “no holds barred” look at what a day is like […]
Posted inLiteracy, Social Studies
Can you Nagaram an Anagram?
I’m in love with anagrams. Scramble letters that turn into memorable phrases or names of countries or words with a “q” sound like cupid, or cubical have caffeinated my brain during car rides and washing dinner dishes. My daughter likes them too, maybe too much. Every Sunday, we three, mom, dad and daughter, listening to the […]
Posted inFeatured, Opinion
The Absent Teacher
OK. Can I just rant a minute? I totally understand that teachers are people too. We have normal lives that involve doctor’s appointments, our own sick kids, funerals and professional development conferences during the school day. I get this. But what about that ONE teacher who we all know that seems to have unending amounts […]