On a recent Thursday afternoon, I decide to take a sick day. I just called for a sub to cover my duties tomorrow. I’m taking a “sick day.” My youngest, (of the three girls I have written so much about in the past) didn’t really want to go to school this morning, was clearly feeling […]
Confessions of a Teacher
What are the confessions of a teacher? Read these articles and find out.
Posted inConfessions of a Teacher
A Dear John Letter to My Career in Education
Dear Education Career, It’s been a great 15 years, and I thank you but it’s time for me to go now. I remember when we first met back in college. You were so enticing; working with kids, the other professionals dedicated to making a difference, empowering change and knowledge in a strong field. When I […]
Posted inSchool Improvement
TEDTalk: Help for Kids the Education System Forgets
One of the best TED Talks I’ve seen in a while was by Victor Rios, a sociology professor at the University of California. The segment, titled “Help for kids the education system ignores” was poignant, direct, and necessary. His speech highlighted how some of our neediest students are falling through the cracks, and what our mandate – as […]
Posted inAsk a Teacher
[Podcast S2E11] Hi, I’m a Teacher and I’m Homeless
During this episode, Franchesca Warren talks with Vivette Dukes- a NYC teacher about her experiences with being homeless while teaching. The number of homeless students in U.S. has doubled since before the recession. The number of homeless children in public schools has doubled since before the recession, reaching a record national total of 1.36 million in […]
Posted inConfessions of a Teacher
Fridays: A Teacher Confessional
Rebecca Black took a student’s perspective with her song “Friday,” focusing on the last day of the work week, where she wrote after “gettin’ down on a Friday, everyone’s looking forward to the weekend.” So, what about teachers’ perspectives on Friday? We asked our writers and readers, and here’s how they claimed to end the week: […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Educate Yourself and Vote
I am praying for our nation. We have a circus going on being sensationalized by the media. While this is happening, in fourth grade, I teach my students about government. They are exploring a basic understanding of how democracy works. They are learning about the three branches of government. And we will explore rights and responsibilities of citizens. These […]
Posted inAsk a Teacher
Can Teachers Really Be Excellent At Everything?
Imagine this: You’re a beginning teacher, fresh out of college. You’ve done a few weeks (maybe a semester) of teaching on your own. You’re thrilled to be hired to teach in your own classroom. You can disregard the low starting pay and the multiple subjects you need to prepare to teach every day. This is […]
Posted inConfessions of a Teacher
Death of a Teacher’s Husband: My Lesson Plan for Survival
My husband of ten years just passed away. School starts in three weeks. My husband has always been right there with me in the trenches, whether I was teaching or acting as administration. He encouraged me, he was proud of me, and he kept me sane; now he is gone. While death isn’t the only […]