I have never been a traditional teacher. This year I removed most of the desks from my classroom and have added a standing table, coffee tables and areas for students to work away from a desk. This has been an amazing transformation with many benefits. Last week the custodian was in my room and she […]
Current Events in Education
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
Is it Time for the Beef Between Veteran Teachers and Teach for America to End?
Have you ever had a conversation with a fellow teacher that made you consider changing your whole mindset about something? This afternoon I had a long conversation with a former teacher who I used to support as an Instructional Coach. This teacher is in his fourth year of teaching and is a graduate of the […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, From the Front Lines, Uncategorized
Redefining Expertise in Education
One of the most humbling things about my seventh year teaching is realizing how much I have left to learn. I am lucky enough to work with several teachers with 10 to 20 years of experience under their belts. I am inspired by the breadth and depth of their knowledge. At the same time, I […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, Instruction & Curriculum, Opinion, Science, Social Studies
The Challenger Disaster: Revisiting a Lost Teacher, 30 Years Later
[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”] For many of us teachers, January 28, 1986 was a tough day. Why? We lost one of our own. Christa McAuliffe, social studies teacher at Bristol High School in New Hampshire, […]
Posted inUncategorized
What Teachers Are Really Searching For Online
Wonder what teachers are really searching for online? I can tell you – it’s not just lesson plans or decoration ideas. It’s not just how to deal with the unruly child, or how to motivate a reluctant reader. Those searches would be understandable. What teachers are really searching for online is this: jobs for retired […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, High School, Opinion
Is Careerism Robbing Our Children of THE GOOD LIFE?
Another week, another conversation with my newly-minted teenage daughter, Lauren, who has decided that “this time,” yes, “this time I know what I want to do when I grow up.” It’s not just that Lauren has big dreams. It’s that she has so many of them. She wants to live in the mountains and hike […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, From the Front Lines, Opinion, Parents
"I'm Looking For…" On Mispronouncing Names, A Teacher's Guide
This week on Twitter, the hashtag #growingupwithmyname has release an outpouring catharsis from people all around the world whose name is a bit… different. Whether it’s a(n): -Spelling of a name – Justin Bieber jested that “he’d be a millionaire” if he had a $1 for every time someone spelled his name wrong. -Pronunciation of […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Opinion, Principals' Corner, Uncategorized
A Chicago Teacher's Dream
The system I work in, Chicago Public Schools, is in trouble. I realize that Chicago’s education problems need a book to explain, not an article, but I will attempt to summarize it. The governor of Illinois, Bruce Rauner, wants CPS to declare bankruptcy. The mayor of Chicago, Rahm Emanuel, says “No-no-no!” but he has done […]