As hiring season for the next school year approaches, it’s time to have a real conversation about teacher interviews. When we interview for a position we often focus on convincing the place we want to work to hire us. The spotlight is on you to knock it out of the park and come off as […]
Coronavirus
Special Education and Social Distancing- The Struggle All Around
Erin Popper has been a Special Education Teacher in Florida for seven years. She has taught a wide range of disabilities in various classroom settings. She earned her Master’s Degree in Special Education from Florida Gulf Coast University in Ft. Myers, FL. Erin’s extracurricular activities include, but are not limited to, coaching high school swimming, […]
4 Things Every Teacher Knows About High Stakes Testing
There are lots of things within the context of teaching that teachers will have a variety of opinions on. High-stakes testing is certainly a unifier for many of us. Here are four things that every teacher knows about testing that stakeholders and lawmakers should have listened to pre-pandemic to prevent some of the stress and […]
Black Square Boxes: Affirming the Identity of Students During a Pandemic
Michele Lamons-Raiford is a hearing American Sign Language (ASL) teacher at Pinole Valley High School in the West Contra Costa Unified School District. She has been a High School teacher for the past nineteen years, previously teaching all levels of English, as well as an Adjunct English Instructor at Solano Community College for the past […]
Abusing Teachers is Normal: Normal is the Problem
“When we get back to normal” is the attitude helping people see through the difficulty that has been the COVID-19 pandemic. [bctt tweet=”Abusing teachers is normal. Normal is not a destination worth seeking.” username=””] “Mental health” and “work-life balance” are the in-vogue phrases that are used to tell teachers to take care of themselves. Meanwhile, […]
Pronouns: The Least We Can Do for Students Who Identify As Transgender or Non-Binary
Discomfort For Solidarity In a recent staff equity meeting, the concept of staff responsibility in gender pronouns came up. It seemed that everyone there had at least one student who used pronouns that didn’t necessarily align with the sex they were assigned at birth. And, they all fully supported the importance of honoring student’s pronouns […]
Opinion: Deliver Us from the Biden Administration’s Focus on Testing During a Pandemic
While working from home, I quite often have Spotify playing in the background when one of my favorite favorites came on — Deliver Us from Prince of Egypt. With the sting of the whip on my shoulder With the salt of my sweat on my brow Elohim, God on high, can you hear your people […]
Opinion: Covid-19 Has Shown Us It is Time for a New Grading System
By: Rachael Rudi The Covid-19 pandemic has opened up the opportunity for change within the education system. From racial justice, to access to an internet connection, to whether or not homework is valid, we are witnessing a shift in how schools operate that will not fully return to “normal” once this pandemic ends. The buzzword […]