In the children’s book Alexander and the Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, author Judith Viorst’s protagonist Alexander continually falls victim to an awful 24-hour period, saying things like: “I fell asleep with gum in my mouth and now there’s gum in my hair,” “All the other kids had cupcakes, Hershey bars, and other desserts, […]
From the Front Lines
Posted inOpinion
Dear Betsy, Thanks for the Memories
Dear Betsy, I heard you resigned today because of all the bad things the president said at his insurrection party. You just finally had enough, huh? Hey don’t worry, I agree with you. It wasn’t pretty. My students think so too. In fact, we didn’t like Trump’s rhetoric either. I guess we just noticed […]
Posted inEquity
Separate But Unequal in Education: The Evil Stepsister of Separate and Equal
Rodney Walker is an African American U.S History teacher at a public school in Virginia. He is also an author specializing in alternative history and has published two novels. He speaks French and has spent four years teaching in North Africa. The notorious “Separate but Equal” doctrine may not have passed the litmus test of […]
Posted inFrom the Front Lines
Using Rituals to Survive Remote Learning
Early in the pandemic I found myself preparing for Passover at home. I would not be traveling home to celebrate the Jewish festival of freedom with my family this year. I was profoundly sad to celebrate this holiday at home alone. But at the same time I found enormous comfort and strength in preparing to […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
Is Miguel Cardona The Anti-Betsy DeVos?
Miguel Cardona, Commissioner of Education for the State of Connecticut and President-elect Biden’s nomination for Secretary of Education, in many ways, is the polar opposite of current Secretary of Education Betsy Devos. Unlike Devos, Cardona actually attended public schools; including a technical high school. He obtained his degrees (BA, MA, EdD) from state universities in […]
Posted inCOVID-19
How the Expiration of Emergency Paid Leave Will Cripple Schools
There are plenty of things we want to put behind us in 2020: the businesses that have struggled, folks who have lost their jobs, and, most notably, the friends and family we’ve lost in the pandemic. One thing we cannot leave behind in 2020 is emergency paid leave, but that is set to happen when […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
FIVE Miserable COVID Truths Teachers Don’t Say Out Loud
I had extraordinarily high bookish ambitions when I realized I was going to be stuck at home for a year. As a fan of classical texts and modern classics, I had some woeful gaps in my reading resume. I was going to read John Steinbeck’s East of Eden. I was going to read Ralph Ellison’s, […]
Posted inConfessions of a Teacher
4 Ways This Teacher Is Thankful
Teachers are constantly pushing. Pushing students to write better. Pushing them to read more challenging materials. Pushing them to make better arguments. Pushing them to practice their music. Then, when students master the task at hand, teachers find something else to improve. It’s implicit in the job. This constant drive to grow and be better […]