Judith Heumann’s passing is a reminder to teach about inclusivity and disability rights Have you signed up for The Educator’s Room Daily Newsletter? Click here and support independent journalism! I have taught for nearly two decades, and I have had the privilege of working with diverse students, each with unique backgrounds, experiences, and struggles. These […]
Instruction & Curriculum
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Black History is World History
Have you signed up for The Educator’s Room Daily Newsletter? Click here and support independent journalism! “Wait, can you go back to that slide!?” one of my students asked. It was the beginning of February, and I was teaching a World History class about the Enlightenment. After numerous slides highlighting the ideas of European men, […]
Posted inPedagogy
Use Kagan Strategies to Create Student-Centered Classroom
Have you signed up for The Educator’s Room Daily Newsletter? Click here and support independent journalism! My students began to get a little “off” as the second semester approached in my classroom. Off task, off behaviorally, off academically – call it what you will, but they were not the cooperative, attentive fourth graders I had […]
Posted inOpinion
A Case for Memorization
Have you signed up for The Educator’s Room Daily Newsletter? Click here and support independent journalism! The False Dichotomy of Memorization and “Higher-level Learning” I’ve noticed a trend in recent professional development sessions I’ve attended. There’s an uptick in the use of phrases like “higher-level learning” and “productive struggle.” Of course, all teachers want to […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Writing About Resistance: A Q&A with author Rann Miller
Have you signed up for The Educator’s Room Daily Newsletter? Click here and support independent journalism! Black History Month is drawing to a close, but educators know that Black history should be a yearlong part of their curriculum. That’s why I can’t think of a better time to announce Rann Miller’s new book Resistance Stories […]
Posted inPedagogy
Honor Mother Languages in Your Classroom
Have you signed up for The Educator’s Room Daily Newsletter? Click here and support independent journalism! As a young girl, newly immigrated from Guatemala, I wondered whether my new teachers and classmates saw the real me -an individual with diverse thoughts, ideas, language, and culture. I felt alone and scared as I tried to overcome […]
Posted inOpinion
Why Every Teacher Should Play De La Soul for Their Students
What De La Soul can teach Black students (and teachers) about breaking the status quo Have you signed up for The Educator’s Room Daily Newsletter? Click here and support independent journalism! I grew up listening to De La Soul. They are part of the landscape of my adolescence and young adult development. The trio from […]
Posted inPedagogy
We Put “To Kill a Mockingbird” on Trial
Books Are Meant to Be Discussed, Not Banned Have you signed up for The Educator’s Room Daily Newsletter? Click here and support independent journalism! Last summer, I served on the jury of my first murder trial. We heard all kinds of griping testimony, viewed extensive forensic evidence, and witnessed dramatic outbursts from the defense lawyer, […]