I Promise School: In the most disadvantaged neighborhoods of Akron, Ohio, students can’t seem to pass the state standardized math test. They also struggle to get three meals daily, adult supervision, or a physically and emotionally safe place to live. Children living in poverty suffer from chronic stress and poor nutrition. They rarely visit a […]
Instruction & Curriculum
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Education, Labor Departments Announce New Efforts to Advance Teacher Preparation Programs
In a series of new efforts, the U.S. Departments of Education and Labor announced to expand Registered Apprenticeships for educators and invest in teacher preparation programs. The efforts focus on a key focus area of the Department of Education’s Raise the Bar: Lead the World initiative to improve learning conditions by eliminating educator shortages. “Teacher apprenticeships are […]
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Reframing the First 6 Weeks of School from a Student Buy-In Perspective
Years ago, as an education major, I took copious notes on the importance of “the first six weeks of school” to increase student buy-in. There are even entire books written on the weight these initial weeks carry. As a hopeful, fresh-faced 21-year-old, I fully bought into the magical school year one could have if you […]
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Teacher Branding 101: Use The Summer to Strategize on Your Brand
Teacher Branding: Summer vacation is a critical time for teachers. It is time to decompress from all of the stress of the school year and realign your teaching for the new school year. Many teachers use this time to travel and “catch up” with their families, while others use the time to earn money to […]
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God Must Have Forgot About Me: Book Reflection from a Veteran Teacher
Once you get past googling the multifaceted Jason Lee, author of God Must Have Forgot About Me, and finished clutching your imaginary pearls, take a few deep breaths, push past your pre-judgments, and ask yourself why a veteran teacher would choose this particular book to reflect on this summer. The answer is very simple: Lee’s […]
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20 End of the School Year Memes That Only Teachers Will Understand
It’s the day that many of us teachers look forward to all year long- the last day of school. We’re tired from spending 180+ school days encouraging, disciplining, working with our students. So just like any great year, we have some end-of-the-year memes just for teachers.
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Teachers Beware: Curse of the Cellphone Screen Zombie Stance
For years, I watched in horror as the curse of the cellphone screen zombie took hold of every student I had, worsening with every update. If having to keep them off their phones all day wasn’t bad enough, most of their time spent in class was on a school-issued device, zombifying them by the hour. […]
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From the Classroom to the Recovery Room: How the Stress of Teaching Led Me to Alcoholics Anonymous’ Supportive Space
Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) is a supportive community where you can share your experiences, find understanding, and gain the tools necessary for recovery In my second year of teaching, the unexpected arrival of Covid-19 brought immense challenges. The already demanding workload nearly doubled as I grappled with preparing work packets, transitioning to virtual learning platforms, reaching […]