“Aunty Mom” is what her students affectionately call her. My wife Merf and I called her Kelly throughout our high school days. Kelly is one of my wife’s best friends. That creative spelling of my wife’s nickname comes from Kelly. My correspondence with Kelly in the months after I saw her in Knoxville last summer […]
Interviews
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Dr. Sharon Bennett Delesbore: Pioneering equity and excellence in science education
Dr. Sharon Bennett Delesbore’s journey in education began on the basketball court. As a Division I athlete, she learned early that leadership extends beyond personal achievement. Her team’s commitment to community service, reading to students, mentoring youth, and serving as role models instilled in her a profound understanding of the transformative power of education. That […]
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Gratitude Tour: Bob O’Connor
Bob O’Connor and I met during our 7th grade year at South High (a small neighborhood school that included 7th through 12th grades) and became best friends fairly quickly. I immediately liked Bob because of his positive outlook on life, his sly sense of humor, and mostly his family values. Only later did I discover […]
Posted inInterviews
Gratitude Tour: Shirley Underwood
In the spring of 1979, I completed my final semester at the University of Tennessee. To earn my degree in Secondary English Education, I had to student teach. I don’t recall having any choice in where that would happen so I must have been assigned to Carter High School in the Knox County school system. […]
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Dr. Mike Dunn: Trailblazing Educator Instilling a Passion for Wonder and Curiosity in the Classroom
If you look at Dr. Mike Dunn’s resume, you’ll almost immediately guess he loves adventure and the outdoors. But to meet him is to meet someone deeply passionate about education and ensure all students and their community’s complex needs are met. I first met Mike ten-plus years ago. He started writing for The Educator’s Room […]
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An Idaho teen who won his school board election has a message for educators
The Educator’s Room Interviews Shiva Rajbhandari Have you signed up for The Educator’s Room Daily Newsletter? Click here and support independent journalism! Less than a decade ago, the idea of students serving on school boards was the topic of debate in places like the Atlantic. Jacoba Urist, writing for the Atlantic in 2014, suggested that even […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
Is It Fair to Test Learning Loss?
Executive director of FairTest weighs in on standardized testing reform Have you signed up for The Educator’s Room Daily Newsletter? Click here and support independent journalism! The Nation’s Report Card As I prepared to interview Harry Feder, the new executive director of FairTest, the latest Nation’s Report Card was published. As a result, our chat felt especially timely. […]
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Voices from the 2%
An Interview with Black Male Math Teacher Jason Lee Morgan Have you signed up for The Educator’s Room Daily Newsletter? Click here and support independent journalism! Nationally, only two percent of America’s teachers are Black men. Veteran Philadelphia Educator and Director Shariff El-Mekkii established the Center for Black Educator Development to “dramatically change the face […]