Having a student in your classroom with Selective Mutism (S.M.) can be frustrating, confusing, and lead to a feeling of helplessness. You may wonder, “How can I help this child who will not respond to me, talk to me, or to his classmates?” Selective Mutism is a childhood anxiety disorder that may present as oppositional, […]
Instruction & Curriculum
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum, Uncategorized
{Watch Live} The Educator's Room Lunchtime Google Hangout Dealing With Teacher Unemployment
Join The Educator’s Room as we have our first Google Hangout Lunchtime Series on Thursday, June 6th at 12pm EST. This week we will be talking with Cari Harris about her book, How To Finish The Test When Your Pencil Breaks, and she was able to overcome teacher unemployment. Follow The Educator’s Room on Google […]
Posted inElementary School, Instruction & Curriculum, Kindergarten, Literacy
Summer Reading: The 50/50 Paradox
The paradox of summer reading: Read=pleasure or Read=work. All students should read at least one book this summer. Students should practice the independent reading skills they have used the whole school year. They should receive credit for reading over the summer, but to give credit means an assessment. An assessment comes dangerously close to committing Readicide,(n): The systematic killing […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, High School, Instruction & Curriculum, Middle School, Opinion
The Truth Behind the Atlanta Public Schools Cheating Scandal
By now the headlines have screamed about how teachers and administrators cheated in Atlanta Public Schools (APS) to falsify results from the CRCT exams in elementary and middle schools. As a teacher who worked in APS for several years, these headlines literally make my stomach turn. Despite the claims about answer changing parties, administrators who […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, High School, Instruction & Curriculum, Uncategorized
A 9-year old Student Speaks Truth to Power About the Chicago School Closings
[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”] In an historic, unprecedented move, the third largest school district in the United States has experienced an impressively harsh blow to its students, teachers, and parents: the Chicago Board of Education […]
Posted inElementary School, Instruction & Curriculum, Kindergarten, Uncategorized
I Like the Idea of the Common Core Standards, But…
“The Common Core standards are not evil; however, the implementation and everything afterward is questionable.”These were the words of a teacher in training I led about one of the founding tenets of the common core standards, text complexity. As soon as this fellow educator said those words, the discussion changed from text complexity, to how […]
Posted inClassroom Management, Featured, From the Front Lines, Instruction & Curriculum
The Charismatic Teacher
How many of us can be considered “charismatic?” Are you the sort of person from whom others derive strength? As teachers, we are often faced with instances where we are asked to be the wellspring of inspiration, drive, and positive attitudes for others. One of the discussions at the Learning and the Brain Symposium at […]
Posted inFeatured, Instruction & Curriculum
What is Brain-Based Learning Anyway?
The latest and greatest buzzword around education in recent years is the concept of brain-based learning strategies. Many teachers believe, “I give knowledge…what else would I be teaching if not the brain?” A little background information may clear up any misconceptions about this learning pattern and how we can impart it in our classrooms for […]