Earlier this Spring, the Philadelphia-based education think tank Research for Action held a Twitter chat around the hashtag #4percentchat, which was the number of non-white teachers that we have here in Pennsylvania. Yes, though 18% of the Commonwealth is non-white, teachers of color are much less rare. While this is a problem in Pennsylvania, its […]
Instruction & Curriculum
Posted inAsk a Teacher
Band-Aiding The Mental Health of Our Children
I deal with the most difficult of kids. In all of my years of teaching, I have been called The Pied Piper for Children’s Behavior and a Child Whisperer. But one thing that has never gotten easier is seeing seven, eight and nine-year-old children on medications that can eventually cause more harm than good. [bctt […]
Posted inEducational Apps
Gratefully Addicted to Remind.com
Do you use Remind? I am currently enrolled in fourteen Remind groups. Fourteen may sound excessive, but I am grateful for each membership because it has increased my connection to my students and my children’s school life. In case you are unfamiliar with my favorite technology, please allow me to explain. The Remind App is […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
The Shakespeare Paradox
In Mitchell County, NC, there was recently an uproar regarding students attending a production of The Complete Works of Shakespeare: Abridged by the Reduced Shakespeare Company. Based on the article (which you can read here), it sounds as though the Parkway Playhouse, the theatre company that performed the play, went above and beyond to tone […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Teachers Must Not Only Be Non-Racist, But Anti-Racist
“Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp, which has turned my life into one long night, seven times cursed and seven times sealed. Never shall I forget that smoke. Never shall I forget the little faces of the children, whose bodies I saw turned into wreaths of smoke beneath a silent […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Our Kids’ New Normal
I have taught through a lot of shootings and other horrible events, both local and national. The first major shooting I remember helping my students through was Sandy Hook, though other incidents had put us on lockdown previously. The fear was palpable. They wanted reassurance for days afterwards. They had the same fear after the […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Stuck Like Glue: What Curriculum Adherence Can Do for Your Classroom
By: Jade Porsche The curriculum in my state is in its third year. It is a good curriculum—it’s rigorous, in-depth, and prepares students for the end-of-the-year state assessment with what we call “LEAP like” tasks and academic vocabulary. It gives teachers “Teacher Notes,” creates all the graphic organizers, supplies quizzes, and even give sample student […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Water those marigolds! Watch those experienced educators bloom!
In 2003, I made a career leap by changing school districts. I had been in a comfortable position, with eight years teaching middle school social studies in a wealthy suburban school. However, I needed a change. I did not want to teach in a single classroom, in one building, investigating a particular topic for thirty-four […]