This is an opinion piece from one of our writers. To read more of our opinions around (not) arming teachers, please click Dear Generation X, #ArmMeWith Campaign, and many more here. In the wake of the recent tragedy in Florida, some people have been quick to call for (more) gun control. The usage of guns […]
High School
Posted inTeacher Leaders
[Opinion] America’s Gun Problem: What Can Teachers Do?
It’s been a tough week. If you are a teacher, student or parent in an American public school, the mass shooting in Parkland, Florida that killed 17 people is just as upsetting as the mass shooting that came before it. Memories of the Las Vegas shooting, the Orlando Pulse shooting, San Bernardino, Virginia Tech, Aurora, […]
Posted inSocial Justice
31 Reasons For Black History Month
The captain of the Umoja Step Team popped into my classroom as she is apt to do at least two times a day. As she was leaving, she patted the advertisement posted on my classroom door for the upcoming Black History Celebration, hosted by the team. Turning towards me, she stated: “A girl in my […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
How Gregory Salcido Sullied the Teaching Profession
“We have a bunch of dumb sh**s over there…” California high school teacher Gregory Salcido said, in the midst of his classroom discussion with his teenage students. “They’re not academic people, not intellectual people. They’re the freaking lowest of our low…” The video, recorded by student Victor Q. (who wishes to join the United States […]
Posted inElectives & Special Areas
Black History Month and PBL: Ideas for Educators
As we enter February, 2018, schools across America will engage in activities celebrating Black History Month in the United States. There is a strong current in secondary education today where the goal is to move classroom activities away from teacher-centered activities toward “project-based learning” or PBL. This trend has specific criteria that ensure rigorous learning […]
Posted inTeacher Leaders
Messages from the Marches: Teaching Students Objectively
January 20, 2018, brought America the first anniversary of the inauguration of President Donald Trump. The day after his inauguration, January 21, 2017, millions of women and their male allies took to the streets to protest the things they object about Donald Trump. His campaign seemed to be filled with racism, misogyny, and vitriol. These […]
Posted inTeacher Leaders
The Pastor and the President: Race in the American Classroom Today
I am writing on the eve of Martin Luther King, Jr Day, 2018 not just as a social studies teacher, but as an American citizen. I am a pastor’s kid, so I grew up hearing the Christian message of loving one’s neighbor as oneself and to love mercy, do justice, and to walk humbly with […]
Posted inConfessions of a Teacher
Teaching While White: How can a white suburban teacher lead students of color in their celebration of Black History?
The 2017–2018 school year has brought new opportunities for this veteran teacher, including the challenge of advising the Umoja Step Team, a cultural dance group at the suburban high school where I teach. Previously, I outlined my amazement with this group in my piece, “My Classroom is a Dance Floor,” which highlighted my first […]