I have taught through a lot of shootings and other horrible events, both local and national. The first major shooting I remember helping my students through was Sandy Hook, though other incidents had put us on lockdown previously. The fear was palpable. They wanted reassurance for days afterwards. They had the same fear after the [...]
By: Jade Porsche The curriculum in my state is in its third year. It is a good curriculum—it’s rigorous, in-depth, and prepares students for the end-of-the-year state assessment with what we call “LEAP like” tasks and academic vocabulary. It gives teachers “Teacher Notes,” creates all the graphic organizers, supplies quizzes, and even give sample student [...]
In 2003, I made a career leap by changing school districts. I had been in a comfortable position, with eight years teaching middle school social studies in a wealthy suburban school. However, I needed a change. I did not want to teach in a single classroom, in one building, investigating a particular topic for thirty-four [...]
Why are so many American teachers being set up to fail? As a mid-career classroom teacher, my hopes are relatively simple. Really. I want to teach my subject to receptive, well-behaved students in schools with a clear and consistent academic mandate that are safe, well-funded, and nestled within a broader culture that respects the professionalism [...]
I began my teaching career in 1995. I had no experience with school resource officers, exterior doors at most schools were unlocked during the day, and metal detectors were used only in extreme cases. Then on April 20, 1999, the Columbine tragedy changed the conversation about the nature of schools and about the youth of America. The perpetrators [...]