It’s time for us to start another new year and start making our New Year’s Resolutions again. Americans everywhere are making resolutions like “lose weight” or “get a better job,” but, aside from the clichéd resolutions of years past, what goals can we educators make to improve our lives from this point forward? Here are […]
How to Fix Education
Posted inFeatured, High School, How to Fix Education, Instructional Strategies, Literacy
The Challenge of Getting to that Messy First Draft
She had been staring at her screen for fifteen minutes. My students were supposed to be writing the first draft of a literary analysis essay, but Jamae was clearly not making progress. When I initially saw her struggling, I asked if everything was OK. She just nodded and kept staring, so after a few minutes […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, How to Fix Education, Professional Development
It is Not Easy to be a Change Agent in Education
“The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.” Albert Einstein [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”] I will say it: it is difficult to be […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, High School, How to Fix Education, Literacy, Uncategorized
Job Insecurity in Education
I have been teaching in a district that I love for twelve years, following two years doing long-term substituting and my student teaching. It was my first choice for where I wanted to get a contract. At the time, the high school I taught in was small enough that I easily knew all the kids in […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, High School, How to Fix Education, Uncategorized
Charter Schools Have Lost Their Way
Charter schools were first conceived in 1988 by then American Federation of Teachers President Albert Shanker. Shanker hoped to open up schools that would be led by teachers who would use innovative methods to help children learn. The idea was to allow students to come to a charter school even if it was not in […]
Posted inESOL, Featured, How to Fix Education, Instructional Strategies, New Teacher Bootcamp, The New Teacher Chronicles
Advice for New ESOL Teachers: Whose Holiday and Why?
The United States is growing ever more diverse in languages, religions and ethnicity and school districts are working (with varying levels of success) to adjust to their changing communities. ESOL teachers are often in the position of go-between for their students and the larger culture, which can be a little awkward when the holidays come […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, High School, How to Fix Education
Who in the Hell Would Want to Become a Teacher?
“Who in the hell would want to become a teacher?” I said these words as I debated with some colleagues about the fairness of twelve former Atlanta Public School teachers sentenced to prison time for their roles in a well-calculated cheating scandal that spanned the city. As we debated on all of the social ills […]
Posted inESOL, Featured, How to Fix Education, Instructional Strategies, New Teacher Bootcamp, The New Teacher Chronicles
Tips for New ESOL Teachers: What To Do When Your Student Is Brand New (to English)
Contrary to what many might expect, most English Language Learner students are born in the USA, and come to school with at least a few useful phrases they can throw around on the playground. ELL students, like any other group, are a diverse bunch and all good teachers know it’s important to get to know […]