It’s finally here. The end of Pre-k. The beginning of summer. Kindergarten is coming closer. You’ve waited on bated breath for this moment. Your sweet baby is about to enter ‘big kid’s school’! That rush of happiness is filled with a small ache of ‘what ifs’. What if they aren’t happy? What if they don’t […]
Instructional Strategies
Posted inFeatured, Instructional Strategies, Middle School, Uncategorized
What are We Testing? – PARCC and SBAC
The New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) is running several commercials that air concerns of both parents and teachers about PARCC (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers) standardized tests currently being administered in the state. Concerns include: middle school students getting only a half year of science and social studies in order […]
Posted inAsk a Teacher, Current Events in Education, Educational Apps, From the Front Lines, High School, Instructional Strategies, Literacy, New Teacher Bootcamp, Recruitment & Retention, Teacher Branding
#SATCHAT’s Coalition of the Willing Should Be in Teacher Ed Programs
Rather than sleep in, hundreds of educators spend Saturday mornings (7:30 EST) tweeting away on Twitter in discussions with other educators worldwide about current issues in education. The hashtag #satchat takes educators to the discussion selected for that morning. The topics are usually posted by one of the coordinators so that educators can prepare in advance for […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, High School, Instructional Strategies
Biggie Give Me One More Chance…Incorporating Pop Culture in the English/ Language Arts Urban Classroom
Yesterday was the 18th anniversary of the untimely death of Hip Hop Giant Notorious B.I.G. Looking back at this moment in pop history, I still remember what it was like in 1997 when I was a senior in high school learning that one of my favorite rappers was dead. My AP Literature class was abuzz […]
Posted inFeatured, Instruction & Curriculum, Instructional Strategies, Languages, Literacy, Science, Social Studies
Do you Speed Date?
No, this is not an article on helping your dating life, though if you are a teacher and are dating, my heart goes out to you. Speed dating is a strategy to “spice” up your classroom. The concept is to have two rows of students each with a concept or person to teach. Put a […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, English Language Learners, Instructional Strategies, Technology
Flipped Learning: My Apology to Veteran Teachers
Eight years ago, I walked into my first classroom armed with my English Education degree, an American Literature book, and the state Comprehensive Curriculum. The only experience I had was my student teaching, but I wasn’t worried thanks to a mentor teacher and my state comprehensive curriculum which I thought was the greatest thing since […]
Posted inInstructional Strategies, Special Education
20+ Ways to Check for Understanding in a Special Education Classroom
You’re a special education teacher, so you know that not all students are created equal. In fact, you know that even within a disability category, you cannot count on students behaving in a “typical” way. I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase, “If you’ve met one child with autism, you’ve met one child with autism.” You […]
Posted inHigh School, Instructional Strategies, Literacy, Uncategorized
The Pros and Cons of Advanced Placement
Brace yourselves, Advanced Placement exams are coming. Advance Placement and Pre-Advance Placement classes have flooded our schools. Are they here to stay? Well, only time will tell. Just like any curriculum or whim the government decides to implement in our schools. We need to take an honest look at AP courses and what they can […]