I don’t remember the first time I heard the apocryphal story about Kyle, the nerdy 9th grader who evolved into the handsome, hunky senior who shares a moving story in his valedictorian address. Here he admitted that just 3 years ago he planned on taking his life because, well, he had enough with bullying of […]
Instruction & Curriculum
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
“They Already Don’t Like Us.”
A fight breaks out near the gym entrance at the large, suburban high school where I teach. I see members of the Step Team that I advise walking from that direction and my heart sinks. I send up a quiet prayer. Please, don’t let one of my kids be involved. The upperclassmen on the team show […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
The 10 Car Rider Commandments
When I attended school, I don’t remember that many kids being dropped off in a car.  Most students rode the bus or walked to school. Today, some parents arrive at school at least thirty minutes before school starts or ends to transport their children to and from school.  So many schools are old and were […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
[Opinion] Grade Inflation is Making Teachers Quit
By: Guest Writer So, I am sitting here in my classroom fretting about the legal and ethical ramifications of grade inflation. You see, in my present school, the administration has insisted that even if a child sits idle all year, never having handed in one anecdotal artifact to demonstrate mastery, I should enter a grade […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Microaggressions to Misbehavior: How School to Prison Pipeline Begins
Wow, I’m surprised he did so well on the test. He’s not ghetto like those other boys. She’s so loud. They don’t care. They can’t read. They’re just lazy. Microaggression: a comment or action that subtly and often unconsciously or unintentionally expresses a prejudiced attitude toward a member of a marginalized group (such as a […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Dear Principal: Cancel That Honor Roll Assembly!
Remember those bumper stickers that seemed all the rage in the nineties: “My son is an Honor Roll Student at Pleasant Valley Middle School?” Or, maybe you chuckled at the inappropriate bumper sticker that read: “My kid can beat up your honor roll student?” Or, perhaps you have seen posts on social media by proud […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Self-Care Tips for the New Teacher: The Black Immigrant Perspective
Guest Writer: Jheanell Lumsden I remember leaving my classroom after teaching one of my toughest classes and crying in the bathroom of my placement school during my student teaching practicum. This was something that happened quite often. I constantly felt like I was drowning and I would often question whether teaching, in urban communities, was […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
San Antonio Teacher Self-Care Conference- One Day Institute
For the 2018-2019 school year, we’ve committed to visiting four cities to bring a truncadated version of the Teacher Self-Care Conference to select cities across America. Back in October we visited Chicago and worked with 133 teachers all around their self-care! Now we’re headed to San Antonio on January 26, 2019! We have […]