Isaiah, my second son, celebrated his 3rd birthday on May 4. When he was born and I held him in my arms, I thought about all the things I had learned from his older brother. I went home a few days later and shared my thoughts with you all, only to come around this side […]
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Ending the Epithet “Try-Hard” Once and for All in Classrooms
“Stop being such a try-hard, Tina.” There are many words kids use to insult one another. Most of them are so bad I wouldn’t dare print them here. They’re also so wrong and reprehensible that teachers quickly swoop in and stop it. But for this term – the “try hard” – teachers just laugh it […]
Would Education Collapse If Teachers Stopped Working for Free?
On Friday, the science teacher on my team rolled past my door on Friday afternoon. In hand – or on wheels, rather – were 2 carts full of spirit wear that she and her student council members created, sold, and distributed. “Only crazy people come back to school on Fridays.” When our school’s nurse retired […]
8 Tips So Your Substitute Plans Don’t Suck
“I find your lack of substitutes disturbing.” Read that in a Darth Vader voice the next time you have to take off, and you’ll feel exactly the type of difficulty that I mean. It’s been 6 years since I wrote my story about how “Lack of Subs Is the Canary in the Coal Mine,” and […]
Student Agency- The Essence of a Modern Classroom
Sanam Edwards is a teacher in DPS International, Gurgaon (India). She enjoys building the student’s voice and choice within the classroom environment while infusing her quirky sense of humor into daily activities. She is an advocate for technology in the classroom and is constantly on the lookout for new ways to engage the students emotionally, […]
[Opinion] Teaching is Not for the Faint of Heart
Courtney Frausto is a 6th-grade ELAR teacher in Texas. She is strong-willed and determined to be her best at everything that she does. She loves a challenge and is always looking to master a new skill. She has a passion for teaching and a love that runs deep for her students. When Courtney is not […]
Interviewing Schools to Find the Best Fit For You
As hiring season for the next school year approaches, it’s time to have a real conversation about teacher interviews. When we interview for a position we often focus on convincing the place we want to work to hire us. The spotlight is on you to knock it out of the park and come off as […]
Black Square Boxes: Affirming the Identity of Students During a Pandemic
Michele Lamons-Raiford is a hearing American Sign Language (ASL) teacher at Pinole Valley High School in the West Contra Costa Unified School District. She has been a High School teacher for the past nineteen years, previously teaching all levels of English, as well as an Adjunct English Instructor at Solano Community College for the past […]