I met William Scipio at the Brass Tap in Baltimore, MD, Wednesday evening, October 29, 2025. Though in the past he has typically paid for my dinner when we’ve gotten together, this time he allowed me to foot the bill. His beverage of choice was Wheatley vodka with sweet tea. I’ve grown close to many […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Federal government limits borrowing for graduate and professional students
This story was originally published by EdSource. Sign up for their daily newsletter. The U.S. Department of Education finalized new loan caps for postbaccalaureate students Thursday, limiting graduate and professional students and parents borrowing on behalf of their children to annual and aggregate loan amounts effective July 1. Congress passed the loan caps last summer […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
PEN America Report finds rise in nonfiction and diverse titles among school book bans
A new report from PEN America found that thousands of books were removed from U.S. public schools during the 2024–2025 school year, disproportionately featuring people of color, LGBTQ+ characters, and nonfiction subject matter, reflecting what the organization describes as an expansion of educational censorship. According to the report, PEN America documented 3,743 unique titles banned during the […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
How a legal challenge over gender dysphoria became a fight for disability rights
How a legal challenge over gender dysphoria became a fight for disability rights by Anna Claire Vollers, Stateline May 6, 2026 Charlotte Cravins’ son Landry turned 2 in January. He’s a smiley little boy who loves singing “Itsy Bitsy Spider” and recently got his first pair of glasses. Landry was born with Down syndrome and […]
Posted inHistory
The Friday seminar to teach high school history and grade it
Using my background as an American History Teacher, I developed an interesting method for teaching high school students’ history, as well as creating a new method for teachers to grade their assigned essays. My goal in writing this is to show how using these methods can make history more interesting for the students as well […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
LeeAnn Caradine: A Trailblazer in Service, Learning, and Leadership
LeeAnn Caradine’s journey is defined by service, resilience, and unwavering commitment,values she cultivated as a proud military veteran and carries into every classroom she leads. A devoted parent of three and an educator with eight years of experience, Caradine approaches teaching with intentionality, purpose, and passion, guided by the words of Eric Thomas: “When you […]
Posted inConfessions of a Teacher
Viral TikTok has students struggling to read basic sentences
A TikTok video titled “Can You Read,” where a student asked his peers if they could read simple sentences, has caused chaos at a Philadelphia Charter School and has reportedly gotten the students threats of expulsion. The video posted by TikTok user, @whatthevek, has garnered over 14 million views as of today and has […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Establishing quality relationships with students
Recently, I took an informal survey of fellow instructors regarding their most memorable moments as a “student” in education. This would have been long before many considered a career in teaching. Responses included memories of elementary school, junior high, high school, and even college. While expecting a collection of stories regarding a specific event or […]