The Documentary Daniel Kirsch, Ph.D., is the President of the American Institute of Stress and is a resident of my hometown of Mineral Wells, Texas. I have met him on a handful of occasions and recently had the opportunity to watch a documentary he had a hand in creating, along with documentary filmmaker Justin Smith, […]
COVID-19
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
I’m an Educator in Canada and I want the COVID-19 Vaccine
I’m sitting in my office at home, after a day of teaching online, and I just tried to book my vaccine appointment, only to realize that since I don’t live in a hotspot, I’m not eligible. However, I want the vaccine. I have wanted it for months, and I knew that as soon as they […]
Posted inAdult Learning
Surviving Pandemic Teaching: Teachers, Secure Your Own Self-Care Oxygen Mask
We have all heard the guidelines around how to properly use an oxygen mask in case of emergency while flying. Whether you have flown Spirit, Delta, American, Frontier, United, Southwest, or Allegiant you have heard “…and remember to always put your own mask on first before helping others” (American Airlines Safety Video). But, why don’t […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
“It’s Time To Make The Donuts:” Teaching in 2020-2021
In 1984, Dunkin Donuts released a commercial starring Fred the Baker. Fred becomes somewhat famous, and his one-liner resonated among workers who related to his daily grind-“it’s time to make the donuts.” As the 2020-2021 school year continues on an endless repeat, I have begun uttering: “It’s Time To Make The Donuts,” as I drag my […]
Posted inCOVID
It’s Worth A Shot: A Teacher Reflects on Mandatory Covid-19 Vaccines
When I began my teaching career, I had to follow several routine requirements to proceed: fingerprinting, background checks, and vaccinations. These are the basic required vaccinations: Varicella-zoster; MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella); Seasonal influenza; Human papillomaviruses (HPV) (eleven through twenty-six years of age); Others as determined by the ACIP and state and local public health […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Sustainable Investment in Education – More Than Just a One Time Fix
Well, our day has finally come! Or has it? We have an unprecedented amount of money we have all been begging for! But, as educators, yet again, no one is asking the “experts in the room” how to spend it. Education has always been about droplets in a seemingly never-ending sea of inequities, where teachers […]
Posted inAsk a Teacher
Teach to the Rest: How the Pandemic Could Be the Best Thing for Education in 20 Years
What’s getting you through 2020’s chaos? For me, it’s the knowledge that education could change, and not by a little. As with all things education, I’m not alone of course, And many others have come before me. I know because I used the pandemic to read them all. Reardon and Timar. Ravitch and Tatum, Delpit […]
Posted inInterviews
Interviewing Schools to Find the Best Fit For You
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 […]