I have always had a potent and unspoken fear I chalked up to insecurity and a penchant for fatalistic thinking: What if, despite my best intentions and efforts as a teacher, I have little to no impact on the lives of my students? A spate of new scholarship and findings suggests the role of teachers […]
Current Events in Education
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Elementary School, Featured, Kindergarten, Parents, The Student Teacher Diaries
Student Teacher Diaries: Parent Teacher Conferences
Twice a year the school system demands we stop and reflect. This is not enough, but I love this time of year when I look at the growth all students have made. Not everyone is where I want them, but it is important to focus on how far students have come in the year and […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Elementary School, High School, Instruction & Curriculum, Mathematics, Parents
Tips for Parents: Change Your Math
I love math! In high school, however, I remember we were asked to show ALL work. There were things I was just doing in my mind that I had never been asked to break down or explain. This was a difficult task, but it made me push myself to understand the process. No longer was […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, How to Fix Education, Opinion
The Resource Desert: Schools in the 21st Century
Dry. Thirsty. Tired. Beaten-down. Hopeless. Stranded. Barren. Arid. Scorched. Desolate. Endless. These words can describe a desert, but they can also describe some of our nation’s resources for education. Taxpayers / community members (their demonym of choice depends on how angry they are) will be the first to tell you that. Property taxes – the most […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, From the Front Lines, Instruction & Curriculum, Opinion
Encouraging Success In Our Students
Success was always important when I was growing up. I’m an only child, so the pressure was palpable from my parents. They were always pushing me to do better, wanting me to ‘amount’ to something worthwhile. Unfortunately their worthwhile careers were those of a doctor, attorney or highly paid businessperson. Not that of a […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, High School, Instructional Strategies, Parents
Tips for Parents: How to help your high school ELA student succeed in Common Core
There are major shifts in all curriculum with the new common core standards. Many parents are intimidated by the changes and all doing all they can to help their children succeed. As an ELA teacher, I have a simple and obvious solution to help your high school student read. Seriously. Don’t just hand them a […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, High School, Instructional Coach Files, Instructional Strategies, Middle School, Professional Development
The Problem in Urban Schools- Stop Teaching to the Test
“I mean even though I taught all of the standards last semester, but I don’t feel like my kids learned anything!” These were the words one of the teachers who I support as an Instructional Coach said to me as we sat in her classroom after school discussed all things teaching and learning. This wasn’t […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, From the Front Lines, Parents
Cayman Naib: Story of Student Tragedy
[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”] Cayman Naib was an 8th grade student in the suburbs of Philadelphia. He had a smile that linked ear-to-ear. He was a happy kid. He was your typical 13-year-old. But come […]