“Pa-Pa!” my kindergartener yelled out as I taught 10 feet away. “Papa! Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!” I looked up to see my youngest daughter red-faced, panicked, and irritated as her eyes darted from her computer screen to me to the papers scattered around her. “I need Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the […]
COVID-19
Weaponizing Equity: White Saviorism and the School Reopening Debate
Guest Writer: Kenny Ludlow Kenny has worked in public schools for the past ten years in various capacities, and spent the past six years working as a classroom teacher. She has a passion for supporting and empowering other educators and currently works as a mentor for early career teachers in the Bay Area. She has […]
Equity, Access, and Affirming Deaf Identity
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, as well as an Adjunct Instructor at Solano Community College for the past fourteen years. She has a BA and […]
Evaluating Teachers During a Pandemic Is Ridiculous
I am that person who enjoys the app Timehop and On This Day on Facebook where it gathers pictures, quotes, or status from the past. This morning reminded me of one of my most dramatic mornings as a teacher. So I slept through my alarm this morning. The cat awakens me screaming to be let […]
Nobody Trusts Teachers
Nobody trusts teachers. Imagine a snowy Wednesday morning in February–a scheduled remote teaching day and a day following an actual, old-school type of snow day. [bctt tweet=”Now imagine teachers driving on those snow-covered roads to teach via Google Meets in empty classrooms. ” username=””] Picture many of those same teachers scrambling for child care because the […]
Teaching in a Pandemic: Help Teachers, Help You
Currently, I have twelve 9th graders failing and twelve 11th graders failing. I am still taking late work through tomorrow at midnight. I am taking ANY assignment, even from November. I have allowed them to redo any writing assignment as often as they would like for a higher grade. I have offered tutoring after […]
The Virtual High School Teaching Experience: I Teach to Dots
Guest Writer: Leann Wnuk Ed.S. Leann is currently a high school Special Education teacher with over 10 years of experience in multiple states and grade levels. I have an Ed.S. in Special Education, an M.S. in Special Education, and a B.A. in Middle Grades Language Arts and Social Studies. I show up to the computer, […]
Mrs. Kramer’s 1970’s Childhood Challenge
Guest Writer: Kristina Kramer After 30 years of teaching and 14 years of being a parent, it wasn’t the books, the courses, or the counseling that would so clearly encapsulate the purpose of my job as an educator and mom. It would be a 30-second video clip of a 10-year-old boy on a bike that […]