One of the continuing traditions of my classroom is to display 100’s of inspirational and thought provoking quotes. And one of the quotes I have on that border is by famed Chicago journalist Sydney J. Harris, who says, “The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows.” While I’ve had more than my […]
Confessions of a Teacher
What are the confessions of a teacher? Read these articles and find out.
Posted inAsk a Teacher
Dealing With Personal Tragedy In the Classroom
I experienced quite a lot of personal tragedy last year. And as a result of my stress, my students experienced them too. I tried so very hard to keep my personal life from affecting my students, but I’m convinced that sometimes no matter what you do, some events just can’t be disposed of at the classroom […]
Posted inParents
More Rural Schools Journal: The Sick Day
On a recent Thursday afternoon, I decide to take a sick day. I just called for a sub to cover my duties tomorrow. I’m taking a “sick day.” My youngest, (of the three girls I have written so much about in the past) didn’t really want to go to school this morning, was clearly feeling […]
Posted inConfessions of a Teacher
A Dear John Letter to My Career in Education
Dear Education Career, It’s been a great 15 years, and I thank you but it’s time for me to go now. I remember when we first met back in college. You were so enticing; working with kids, the other professionals dedicated to making a difference, empowering change and knowledge in a strong field. When I […]
Posted inSchool Improvement
TEDTalk: Help for Kids the Education System Forgets
One of the best TED Talks I’ve seen in a while was by Victor Rios, a sociology professor at the University of California. The segment, titled “Help for kids the education system ignores” was poignant, direct, and necessary. His speech highlighted how some of our neediest students are falling through the cracks, and what our mandate – as […]
Posted inAsk a Teacher
[Podcast S2E11] Hi, I’m a Teacher and I’m Homeless
During this episode, Franchesca Warren talks with Vivette Dukes- a NYC teacher about her experiences with being homeless while teaching. The number of homeless students in U.S. has doubled since before the recession. The number of homeless children in public schools has doubled since before the recession, reaching a record national total of 1.36 million in […]
Posted inConfessions of a Teacher
Fridays: A Teacher Confessional
Rebecca Black took a student’s perspective with her song “Friday,” focusing on the last day of the work week, where she wrote after “gettin’ down on a Friday, everyone’s looking forward to the weekend.” So, what about teachers’ perspectives on Friday? We asked our writers and readers, and here’s how they claimed to end the week: […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Educate Yourself and Vote
I am praying for our nation. We have a circus going on being sensationalized by the media. While this is happening, in fourth grade, I teach my students about government. They are exploring a basic understanding of how democracy works. They are learning about the three branches of government. And we will explore rights and responsibilities of citizens. These […]