“I hope I can show The Outsiders movie virtually through zoom this year!” Teacher A remarked at the meeting. “I know, that is the highlight of our kids’ year; they absolutely love reading this book and watching the movie,” Teacher B replied. My two colleagues (white females) discussed a book read by our middle […]
Current Events in Education
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
Betsy DeVos Resigns: Most Teachers Say Good Riddance
In the wake of the domestic terrorism by Trump supporters, Betsy DeVos was the second Cabinet from the Trump administration who has resigned. In her resignation letter sent on Thursday, she directly pointed to President Donald Trump for flaming the seeds of tension as his supporters stormed the nation’s capital. In her statement released to […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
America’s Reckoning: How Will Teachers Go Into Their Classrooms Tomorrow?
“How do we teach kids about this tomorrow?” This seems to be the question every American social studies teacher is asking themselves this evening, clutching the notion of the American republic in their hands like a broken teacup. As America continues to be ripped in two from its seams to its soul, we have, over […]
Posted inResponsive Classroom
Flip That Frown Upside Down – Teaching Like a Stoic
A neighbor complains every time it snows. It doesn’t matter if it’s a feathery amount or a foot — to him, the impediment of snow is too much to handle. He hates the shoveling. He hates the noise of the snowblowers. He hates driving in it. He hates the cold. He hates teleworking. The list […]
Posted inCOVID-19
The Late Work Policy Debate in the Midst of COVID-19
In 1987, my husband and I moved back to our hometown to care for my parents. Long story short, my mom had cancer that kept showing up in different places and eventually she passed away a few weeks after scans revealed cancer had moved to her lungs. I had also returned to school to finish […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
A Canary in the Coal Mine: The Truth We Need to Remember Post-Pandemic About Virtual Schooling
Education these days feels a bit like science fiction, doesn’t it? When I think of my students and my own daughter learning virtually, I wonder if anyone else is remembering Keanu Reeves’ character Neo in The Matrix? If you aren’t much into the science fiction genre, just picture a man plugged into a computer while […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
2020: Reflections of an Educator Working Through a Pandemic
I’m writing this article as I sit in my living room, on the cusp of a new year, thinking about what it means to be moving into a new chapter, a new milestone, etc. However, I spent the better part of my morning scrolling social media and I saw several people reflecting on the highlights […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
Weigh in on Cardona? Better to Weigh in on Connecticut
When President-Elect Biden announced his choice for a new secretary for education, a comment was left on the Educator’s Room blog: “Anyone from Connecticut want to weigh in?” Well, I am an educator in Connecticut, but I think weighing in on the nominee Miguel Cardona is premature. Cardona, the Connecticut Commissioner of Education, was appointed […]