Daylight Savings Time is a practice I don’t understand. In the spring it costs an hour. Time is precious and something I hate to waste. Every year I dread the clocks springing forward and watching precious time being taken away. I read an article recently published on Edutopia about “Beating the Clock in the Classroom” […]
Instruction & Curriculum
Posted inAsk a Teacher, Elementary School, Featured, From the Front Lines, Instruction & Curriculum, Kindergarten
The Hairy Hand of the SAT Reaches Far into Your Future
Many of my students fret about their SAT scores. I wish I could tell them to relax, that the score is just a score, and that they will never have to hear the words SAT again, but that would not be telling them the truth. The hairy hand of the SAT can reach far forward […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, High School, Instruction & Curriculum, Middle School, Opinion
What Frustrates Me About Non-Public Schools
This article is published simultaneously with its partner article, “What Bothers Me About Public Schools“ Let me preface this article by saying that I am in no way, shape, or form opposed to private or charter schools. There’s a school for every child on this planet, and for some students, it’s not a public […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, High School, How to Fix Education, Instruction & Curriculum, Opinion, Principals' Corner
What Bothers Me About Public Schools
This article is published simultaneously with its partner article, “What Frustrates Me about Non-Public Schools.” As a teacher who will never say “I’ve seen or heard it all,” I have become disenchanted with public schools, especially in Oklahoma. I feel that our schools, overall, do a severe injustice to our students by not providing […]
Posted inFeatured, Instruction & Curriculum
Listening with Empathy—Can You Hear the Growth?
“I like to listen. I have learned a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never listen.” –Ernest Hemingway. [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”] Spring is here; too bad Mother Nature has not listened to that […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum, New Teacher Bootcamp, Teacher Branding
Teacher Branding: The 12- 18 Month Rule
After effectively launching The Educator’s Room, LLC and spearheading (and then helped write) my first two books, “Keep the Fire Burning: Avoiding Teacher Burnout and “Behind the Desk” ,” a lot of my educator friends always ask me the same question, “When am I going to leave the classroom?” While I am flattered by the off-handed compliments, it got me […]
Posted inCommon Core, Featured, Instruction & Curriculum, Literacy, Social Studies
Primary Source Documents—An Easy Tool for Implementation
“Primary source documents”…reading this phrase in the Common Core Standards I felt a bit of fear creep into my mind. I teach fourth grade. We are just mastering how to read maps and keys and legends. Primary source documents? How on earth would I incorporate those into our classroom and make it meaningful? Students at […]