“For the growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistoric acts; and that things are not so ill with you and me as they might have been, is half owing to the number who lived faithfully a hidden life, and rest in unvisited tombs.” – George Elliot No, Educational Fatalism Is NOT Classroom […]
Instruction & Curriculum
Why I Took My Work Email App Off of My Cell Phone
Three school years ago, I removed the work email app from my phone. It was one of the best actions I have taken. It is hard to balance your professional and personal life when your professional life is taking dominance at home because you can’t stay off of your work email. Here are some reasons […]
[Opinion] Barack Obama: A Role Model for Teachers and Students
America and the World Today It has been a difficult week for America and the world. American leadership in the world seems to be collapsing as nations considered to be our allies are criticized and nations thought to be adversarial are applauded as friends. The old world order established after World War II where the […]
If You Want to Survive, Find Your Teacher Tribe
When you watch movies about high school, everyone falls into a group or has a label. Me, I was the blerd (black nerd) and the loner. I had a few friends and that was by choice, and most often I preferred to keep to myself and be alone. I maintained this behavior throughout college and […]
Equity in Action: Mitigating Unconscious Bias In the Classroom
In this heightened political atmosphere, our society seems to be replete with instances where white people are being caught on social media being or acting in an overtly racist manner. It seems our Facebook or Twitter feeds will have on a daily basis some video of a white person treating an African-American, Hispanic, or member […]
This teacher says, “Your momma needs to talk to me not through you.”
There is a picture of five-year-old Cardi B, with her hand on her hip that has been turned into what I will call, “my momma said” memes. I have to admit I found them funny until I came across one that said: Teacher: “There are no hall passes so you can’t go to the bathroom.” […]
A Very Teacher Summer
Summer is here! Everyone breathes a sigh of relief because now the weather is going to be nice at least most of the time, and there are fun things to do like camping, swimming, and hiking. As a teacher, I am excited about summer for a different reason. It’s time to revise my lesson plans […]
Affirmative Action at the Crossroads: Which Direction will the Supreme Court Go?
Affirmative Action: Remedy or Racist? Recent actions by the Trump Administration and the pending resignation of Anthony Kennedy from the Supreme Court have brought into question the status of affirmative action, the set of federal policies instituted by John F. Kennedy to counteract centuries of discrimination against specific minorities in American society. Affirmative action was […]