I met William Scipio at the Brass Tap in Baltimore, MD, Wednesday evening, October 29, 2025. Though in the past he has typically paid for my dinner when we’ve gotten together, this time he allowed me to foot the bill. His beverage of choice was Wheatley vodka with sweet tea. I’ve grown close to many […]
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Posted inCurrent Events in Education
Who’s in charge here? The erosion of authority in schools
“I’d like you to go back to your seat,” I said after the third reminder for off-task behavior. “What!? Why?” she exclaimed, apparently totally stymied as to why I’d ask her to do such a thing. “Because a few minutes ago I told you that if you keep socializing, I would move you back to […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
Educators are All tortured poets, just like Taylor Swift
In case you’ve been living under a rock, perhaps in the form of ungraded student work that’s slowly suffocating you, Taylor Swift came out with her eleventh studio album, All Tortured Poets, last month. She is, of course, best known for her songs about love, relationships, and heartbreak. But they’re not just about breakups, but […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
How Principals Should Model NCAA Women’s Basketball Post Conferences to Cultivate Effective, Culturally Intelligent Teachers
Every March, the NCAA March Madness showcases the best and brightest in women’s basketball to millions of viewers. And every year, principals and administrators observe teachers for at least 45 minutes to grade their effectiveness as teachers. This is such a high-stakes procedure, as anything can happen that would make the most effective teacher, look […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
Controversial Literature on Wheels: Banned Books Wagon Touring the American South”Banned Books Wagon will tour in the American South
Next week is Banned Books Week, and to bring awareness to the continued banning of books in school districts across America, the Penguin Random House’s Banned Book Wagon will be traveling throughout the American South to bring awareness to the banning of books. In conjunction with the Freedom to Read Foundation, PEN American and Free […]
Posted inBook Review
Fighting Fake News: A Book Review for Educators
From political conspiracy theories to the drama of who’s dating who in the celebrity sphere, fake news is all around us. It bombards us from the magazine racks in the grocery store checkout lanes. It pops up on our social media feeds, enticing us to click to see more. Sometimes it even makes it to […]
Posted inBook Review
Poverty by America, An Educator’s Review
The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Evicted, Matthew Desmond, is out with a new book, Poverty by America that speaks to the problem of poverty, the heartbreaking reasons why it persists, and what can be done to solve it. Desmond explains that “Poverty isn’t a line. It’s a tight knot of social maladies. It is connected […]
Posted inOpinion
From Tennessee to Your Classroom, Amplify Student Voices
Have you signed up for The Educator’s Room Newsletter? Click here and support independent journalism! Like many, I was captivated by the story of the expulsion of two Democratic lawmakers in Tennessee. I was drawn in by the righteous and justifiable indignation, the engaging call to action, and I listened intently to the powerful voices […]