“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 […]
High School
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 […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
Religion in Schools: A Delicate Balance
The Impact of Religion and Education It cannot be denied that religion is a major element of culture around the world. Its existence cannot be denied, and it is a central focus in the lives of a vast majority of people on planet Earth. Religion acts as the foundation for the moral and ethical structure […]
Posted inHigh School, History, Instruction & Curriculum, Middle School, Professional Development, Social Justice, Social Studies, The Traveling Teacher
Around the Nation’s Capital: The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Whether you live in the Washington, DC metro area or are visiting as a tourist from far away, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum should be at the top of your itinerary. Located just off the National Mall at Independence and 14th Streets, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) tells the compelling story of […]
Posted inCommon Core
“Let Them Eat Cake:” How Teachers Can Resist Banned Words
Words never uttered can be extremely significant. Often the perception of words said (or unsaid) carry more importance than truth. In October of 1789, Marie Antoinette did not look down at the swarming hordes of fishmonger women storming the Palace on Versailles and […]