Right now, things are hard. Nothing feels fine, or normal. As we all know, teaching in person is different than teaching online. There are many things that we as educators are dealing with right now. How do we ensure that our students are learning, when there are some students without the ability to attend online […]
Confessions of a Teacher
What are the confessions of a teacher? Read these articles and find out.
Posted inConfessions of a Teacher
Teachers’ Long Goodbyes…
The internet is full of teacher’s video messages to students. Recently, the English department, at the large suburban high school where I am employed, sent out a beautiful, heartfelt, and funny greeting to our students. Despite the positive messaging, there is a deep sadness that permeates the frames, as if teachers are saying: “This has […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
Teaching in a Post-COVID-19 World: 8 Bold Statements
I recently read an article on Politico where a group of “30 smart macro thinkers” recently contemplated how the Coronavirus will change the world. While many of their thoughts are far too Shangri-La and delusionally optimistic, it got me thinking about how this pandemic will change education – with 8 bold statements I’ll make, and, […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
Teaching in a Post-COVID-19 World: 8 Big Questions
I recently read an article on Politico where a group of “30 smart macro thinkers” recently contemplated how the Coronavirus will change the world. While many of their thoughts are far too Shangri-La and delusionally optimistic, it got me thinking about how this pandemic will change education – with 8 big questions I pose, and, […]
Posted inHow to Fix Education
The Ideal School Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic
What would an ideal school look like? My wife and I, like many educators and parents, have had this question thrust to the forefront as part of the COVID-19 crisis. Overnight, my wife and I–both trained, veteran middle school teachers–have had to set up The Sutton School to teach our own kids. We’ve made all […]
Posted inConfessions of a Teacher
Dear Teacher Friends, It’s Time to Show More Empathy
It’s always wonderful when teachers from different parts of the world can come together and laugh, joke, complain, or cry about the same common things happening in our classrooms. “I’ll Wait.” “Where are all my pencils?” “This PD could’ve been an e-mail!” *Insert teacher on the way to break meme* Yes, we can all agree […]
Posted inConfessions of a Teacher
This is Not the Teacher I Wanted To Be
“This is the not the teacher I wanted to be.” From time to time, I stand in front of my students, eyes filled with tears, while this thought repeats itself over and over again. I’m not sure when I first realized it, but once I did, there was no going back. I wake up every […]
Posted inTeacher Burnout
Survival Mode on Auto Pilot
We’ve all been there. Survival Mode on Auto-Pilot. At some point in every teacher’s career, they experience a school district, school, or classroom that they realize isn’t going to change. They’ve made complaints, documented, changed classroom management systems, altered and differentiated the curriculum, and scheduled meeting after meeting, after meeting… yet nothing changes. It’s at […]