Teaching writing is probably one of my most favorite activities on the planet! It’s my passion! If someone truly wants to be a good writer, it is honestly a simple process that could be accomplished with a just few polished steps. What it takes is concentration, aptitude and deftness. When people bring me their work […]
High School
Posted inFeatured
Questions on Co-Teaching
Co-Teaching was introduced to me three years ago when I was asked to attend a seminar by my principal. It was presented to me in the format of two teachers with equal degrees in the same subject, sharing the classroom teaching equally. Since then, it seems that co-teaching has evolved to the more common scenario of a regular ed teacher […]
Posted inFeatured, High School, Literacy
Finding the "I" in TEAM
We’ve all heard the old adage, “There’s no “I” in TEAM,” implying that we would do better to work together instead of independently forcing the venture upon one’s self. But, what is the usefulness of working as a team? Would we not be more productive if we held our own, stuck to our guns, stayed in our […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, High School, Opinion
Qualities of the Ideal High School Teacher
One day, while waiting for the lunch bell to dismiss them, a few students gathered around my desk to converse with each other; they had just finished taking their notes. Their conversation turned toward their experiences with different teachers. As they were airing grievances or defending their favorite teachers (I was merely a bystander at […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, High School, Middle School, Opinion
Can Success Be Taught in Middle School?
By Guest Writer: Holly Winter When asking a class of middle school students to write about success, one girl wrote: “My mother was successful at smoking crack and my father was successful at getting himself murdered.” Her statements bring the ideas of success into focus. This student isn’t in jail, on drugs, and she doesn’t have a group […]
Posted inFeatured, High School, Literacy
The Communication Crisis: Teacher to Teacher Part II
When it comes to communication, teachers are the experts, but as many workshops as teachers attend out there in the vast world of professional development, many seldom (if ever) help teachers communicate more effectively with each other. It seems to be the one missing link, so to speak, in the ideology of education. So, how do we become […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, High School, Professional Development, Teacher Branding
Teacher Branding Advice for School Districts: Make Your Teachers Happy
Once upon a time in a land far, far away, I worked in a district where the majority of teachers were unhappy-unhappy to the point of downright disgust. Almost every employee I saw walk into a school building there was a smirk followed by a frown and immediately followed up with a collective eye roll. Teachers […]
Posted inFeatured, High School, Literacy
The Communication Crisis – Teacher to Teacher Part I
Few people would disagree that communication is essential in sharing concepts and ideas, however, effective communication often seems to elude the masses. Many books and motivational speakers have touched on the subject in one way or another, yet properly passing along information and having it received as intended is not an easy task; miscommunication is. So, how could […]