Read Part I of this Article I here. While the Tyson/Holyfield match certainly marked the end of Iron Mike’s boxing career, his decline had begun years before. In 1990, Tyson found himself in the ring against a lesser known fighter named James “Buster” Douglas. It was clear from the start that Tyson was in for […]
Current Events in Education
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
The Sound and The Fury, The Bite Fight, and the Demise Of Standardized Testing: Part I
I sat on the couch with popcorn and soda ready for the match. “Dad! Come on, Don King is on camera!” Wide-eyed, I watched the infamous boxing promoter smile and chat with his evening’s guest. It was 1997, I was 15 years old, and had never really been into boxing. My experience with the sport […]
Posted inTeacher Leaders
Wanted: Empathy for Our Students
For me, empathy has always been one of the most important character traits of a teacher. I brought empathy into my classroom from the day I started teaching. It had a lot to do with my childhood which was different from most in the time period in which I was born. My father died just before […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
What Will it Take for White Teachers to #TalkAboutTrayvon?
Image from Flckr user @dignidadrebelde I received an e-mail today from Showing Up for Racial Justice reminding me that today is the 5th anniversary of Trayvon Martin’s death. It is hard to believe five years have passed already. It is sobering to reflect on the growth of the Movement for Black Lives alongside the growing […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
Transgender Student Rights are Human Rights
Late Wednesday night, February 22, 2017, around 9pm EST, the Trump Administration released its new directive that rescinded the federal protections for transgender students in public schools and universities. Policy until this point, passed in the Obama administration, directed there be protection for all students equally, to ensure they had access to the bathrooms, locker […]
Posted inAdult Learning
Traveling Teacher: National Museum of African American History and Culture
I was recently able to attend a conference earlier this February in the nation’s capital, and the hottest ticket in town is the National Museum of African American History and Culture, or NMAAHC for short. In the span between its opening (September of 2016) and Valentine’s Day, 2017, 1 million visitors have walked through the […]
Posted inCommon Core
Conversations About Betsy DeVos
As one of the writers for The Educator’s Room, I participate with all the authors in regular conversations. We share ideas, talk about pedagogy, discuss writing topics, and sometimes even debate politics. That has been especially true in our newly politically-charged world that is so prevalent lately. Our current political discussion (a proper word since […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
Considering the Case for Betsy DeVos
I am not a fan of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. I wasn’t fond of Arne Duncan either. And after working under John King when he led New York’s schools I didn’t cheer for his appointment. But Betsy DeVos represents a different challenge to public school teachers, students, and families. I shared feelings of anger, fear, […]