“Pa-Pa!” my kindergartener yelled out as I taught 10 feet away. “Papa! Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!” I looked up to see my youngest daughter red-faced, panicked, and irritated as her eyes darted from her computer screen to me to the papers scattered around her. “I need Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the […]
Instruction & Curriculum
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Nobody Trusts Teachers
Nobody trusts teachers. Imagine a snowy Wednesday morning in February–a scheduled remote teaching day and a day following an actual, old-school type of snow day. [bctt tweet=”Now imagine teachers driving on those snow-covered roads to teach via Google Meets in empty classrooms. ” username=””] Picture many of those same teachers scrambling for child care because the […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
What Does It Take To Keep A Republic?
After months of their own false accusations about voter fraud, many GOP leaders hid under the pews during the insurrection. Afterward, with public pressure mounting, some changed their votes to certify the election of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Just like that. And as I was considering their quick change of mind, I listened to […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Marjorie Taylor Greene: A Disastrous Decision for Education and Labor Committee
Marjorie Taylor Greene (Rep) was recently elected to Congress in November 2020. Mrs. Greene is a well-known QAnon supporter and has been vocal in her support of the False Flag theories. Mrs. Greene posted in 2018 on her Facebook that the Parkland massacre that killed 17 students was a “false flag.” In a recent YouTube […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Teaching in a Pandemic: Help Teachers, Help You
Currently, I have twelve 9th graders failing and twelve 11th graders failing. I am still taking late work through tomorrow at midnight. I am taking ANY assignment, even from November. I have allowed them to redo any writing assignment as often as they would like for a higher grade. I have offered tutoring after […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
How Amanda Gorman’s Poetry Inspired my Lesson
On January 20th or Inauguration Day, Amanda Gorman, the youngest inaugural poet, a young black woman stood in front of the United States and blew us away with her moving words, and her beautiful delivery. As an educator, a young black woman, and an immigrant, I felt invigorated by her words. One line, in particular, […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Maryland’s Governor Bullies Teachers, But This One Isn’t Lying Down
Like many states around the country, Maryland has struggled with the decisions about how and when to reopen schools. Last Thursday, January 21st, Maryland’s Governor Larry Hogan made clear that schools in Maryland would reopen by March 1st. Like a playground bully, Hogan threatened anyone seeking to resist his orders. He implied a willingness to […]
Posted inAsk a Teacher
The Teacher Learns the Lesson: Reminiscing on 48 Years of Teaching
Every future teacher has a lot to learn in college, but as I would soon find out after my college graduation day, nothing beats the “on the job training” you get when you go through that first year of teaching. I was so excited when I received my first teaching job in Florida back […]