Last year I revisited James Baldwin’s “A Talk to Teachers” before starting the school year. I encouraged myself and other teachers committed to social justice to “go for broke.” I did lots of work I felt proud of in our classroom last year, working with our 5th graders to understand, analyze, and combat racism. They culminated […]
Instruction & Curriculum
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
180 Days: Writing and Reading Maps and Mentors for A Year in ELA
As an ELA teacher, I do a lot of reading. During the school year I try to read as much Young Adult Lit as possible so I can share it with my 8th graders, but during the summer I read more adult titles and I try to squeeze in at least one professional title. Last […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Opinion: Age-Grading is Stupid
Age-grading is, in a word, stupid. It is built on a cultural conception of development that precludes the ability of individuals of different ages to have healthy, appropriate interactions and learn from one another. Unless, of course, a clear power dynamic defines the relationship: teacher-student, babysitter-child, employer-worker, coach-player etc., then the interaction is sanctioned. Instead […]
Posted inAdult Learning
The New Teacher Smell
I love to see new teachers join our ranks. In a profession that is being left behind to make more money working at the local 7-11, it’s still good to see fresh faces believing in what we do. The teachers fresh from student teaching, wearing their classroom key around their neck like a badge of […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Eighth Grade – The Movie Every Teacher of Adolescents Needs To See
Warning: This article does contain spoilers for the movie, Eighth Grade The movie, Eighth grade, is the most realistic portrayal of a socially awkward middle school girl I’ve ever seen. The movie follows Kayla (played by Elsie Fisher) through the last few weeks of her 8th grade school year as she prepares to start high […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Reading and Writing Volume Counts
Volume is its own goal. The more we read and write, the better we read and write. That doesn’t mean volume alone leads to excellence. It doesn’t. But progress without volume is almost impossible. Last winter, I was privileged to attend the regional ELA teacher’s conference in Missouri called Write to Learn. Two of the […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Bringing Project Based Learning to our Classroom
Entering my twenty-third year of education I know there is more. I have been through basal reading, whole language, memorization of facts, conceptual mathematics, hands-on science and many teacher manuals more of “best practices”. The pendulum swings back and forth while teachers and students try to keep afoot and learn. So this year I have […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
What Teachers Get Versus What They Need
I love being a teacher. I know it is my calling. It can be frustrating when you know what you need to be a successful teacher, but you receive something else. Here are a few things teachers get, versus what they really need. What teachers get: No professional development choice What teachers need: Self-selected professional […]