As educators, we are responsible for cultivating an inclusive learning environment that values and celebrates diversity. One powerful way to achieve this is by providing students with a diverse reading list that exposes them to different cultures, experiences, and perspectives. Here is a reading list specifically curated for your ninth-grade summer reading list. Each book […]
Instruction & Curriculum
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Cultural Exchange Teachers in the United States: Supporting The Need for Effective Mentorship Programs
The Cultural Exchange Teacher program of the United States State Department has been in existence since 1967, where teachers from diverse countries like the Philippines, Ghana, Mexico, and China have the privilege and opportunities to experience professional and personal growth and development in various areas of teaching specialization – including mathematics, science, English, and special […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Why Teaching Students to Say “Sorry” Is Not Enough
You’re eight years old, and another student pushes you because they wanted to be first in line. Exasperated, your teacher tells the other child to say “sorry.” “Soooooory,” the child exclaims, rolling their eyes. “Say it like you mean it,” your teacher chides. “Sorry!” the other student yells a little more enthusiastically but still with […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Acknowledging and Celebrating Bilingual and Multilingual Students and Families
April is over. However, we acknowledge, celebrate, and honor multilingual and bilingual students and families continues. As we come to the end of another month, some might see it as a couple of months closer to summer break, others as another month closer to the holidays, but some see it as an opportunity to embrace […]
Posted inMental Health
From Discussion to Instruction: The Mental Health Paradox in Public Education
By Jessica Lyons There seems to be a paradox in public education regarding helping students cope with mental health issues. On the one hand, the federal government is pushing to fund more resources for mental health services. In the past few months, the federal government allocated $188 million to increase access to school-based mental health […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Teaching Writing to Secondary Students is Hard, But It’s Necessary
During my first year of teaching, I had a brilliant student named Joshua*. Joshua was a Junior who was wise beyond his years. He loved to talk about books. He loved to debate different topics in class. However, it wasn’t until we read the cult favorite, The Color Purple, during the first nine weeks when […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Revolutionize Your Classroom: Why I Ditched Homework for Microlearning
Guest Writer: Jess Lyons After almost 20 years of teaching, I have realized a few things. One, there is no monetary value that anyone can put on treats in the staff breakroom, and two, that traditional homework assignments are about as practical as teaching a cat to fetch. Sure, some students may thrive with homework, […]
Posted inPedagogy
Freshen Up Your National Poetry Month Lessons with These New Releases
Have you signed up for The Educator’s Room Newsletter? Click here and support independent journalism! As an English language arts teacher of many, many years, poetry has always been one of my favorite subjects to teach my students. Poetry brings out the best in students’ language abilities and challenges them to write in a way […]