As you read this headline, I know you cringed- so did I as I wrote it. But as I grapple with retiring after 25 years in the classroom due to student (and parent) misbehavior, it’s something that I feel uniquely qualified to say. There will be some people who will not hear what I’m saying, […]
Instruction & Curriculum
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
5 Tips for Welcoming First-Time Virtual Students
Virtual learning has its share of issues–slow internet, social disconnection, a lack of cohesion between teacher and student.
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
“Unveiling Bias in G.E.D.: The Untold Stories of History
A professor revisits standardized testing, immigration policy, and the salience of Paulo Freire in times of cultural war. This is in a series on a teacher’s experience teaching a cross-cultural G.E.D. To read the first article, click here. One issue surrounding the G.E.D. has gotten shorter shrift among educators and academics: the test’s somewhat jingoistic […]
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Beyond the Test: LeBron James I Promise School is Transforming Lives…and Being Scrutinized for It.
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 […]
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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 […]