I was reading a Facebook (FB) post from the beautiful Gabriella T. Deyi, former Miss Wisconsin USA, Brand Ambassador at Mental Health America of Wisconsin, and one who also happens to be an illustrious alumnus of our high school. I have followed her throughout the years since she graduated, watching her run for Miss USA, establish […]
Instruction & Curriculum
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Research Paper Alternatives That Will Still Increase Research Skills
I love teaching research writing. No seriously, I do. Look, I know that for a lot of teachers, the mere suggestion of teaching any kind of research writing triggers a whole host of bad memories. Piles of notecards, copies of multiple articles, large encyclopedias open to a single page with tiny print, hours spent trying […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Opinion: Fighting Fascism from Our Classrooms
Last week a school board in Tennessee banned Maus, a Pulitzer prize-winning graphic novel about the Holocaust. In Florida, the Governor wants to ban learning experiences that cause “discomfort” to white participants. Across the country, Education Week reports, roughly 1/3 of students are enrolled in districts where “critical race theory” bans are in effect. Collectively, […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Filling Your Cup with Science
After teaching 1st and 2nd grade for the past 13 years, with a primary focus on developing reading, writing, and math skills, I decided I needed a change. Although I was pretty successful and enjoyed it thoroughly, I realized that sometimes a simple grade change is just the thing for a teacher to stay fresh […]
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That Time I Finally Took a Stress Leave of Absence
I don’t think anyone, including myself, believed I would go through with it. I finally took a two (2) week medical stress leave as a high school teacher. The guilt. I couldn’t shake the guilt. I felt like I was giving up, letting so many people down, letting myself down. Transparently and honestly, I felt […]
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Teachers Who Are Parents : The Forgotten Demographic in Decision Making Within Education
Teachers who are Parents: When we were first placed on distance learning back in March of 2020, I remember thinking how privileged I was to have a son who could still attend childcare. I listened to my colleagues who had children and thought about how difficult it would be to try and teach my students […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Literacy Matters and We Need to Start Acting Like It
The aha moment hit me nearly two months too late. For weeks, I had been working with one of our SPED teachers to figure out how to get students to turn in their work. After years of effectively managing my classes through meaningful work with clear deadlines, I was overwhelmed by the number of student […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Instructional Roadblocks? Shifts in Point-of-View Can Help Reveal Viable Solutions
Lauren Ewe The new year has begun, and we find ourselves gearing up for the second stretch of the school year. Many make resolutions, and educators often think about how to better tackle issues that have emerged since the start of school. January tends to be when teachers look to reel in their students and […]