It seems like by the time everything gets settled, the school year ends. Then in August, new freshmen arrive and need to be “broken in” to the high school climate. While we have amazing freshmen teachers to help with the adjustment period, sometimes they are not enough. In Japanese culture, there is a “senpai,” an […]
Middle School
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, High School, Instructional Strategies, Middle School, Uncategorized
The Baltimore – Education Reform Connection
The Baltimore neighborhood that was the focus of protests after Freddie Gray’s death exists in every major city in this country. Too often such neighborhoods were once places where families could graduate from high school and get decent jobs. Schools had decent funding and could find ways to help struggling students like Freddie Gray. […]
Posted inFeatured, High School, Middle School, School Improvement
Flipped Learning: Let Your Students Grade You
A student grading a teacher. This is not as far-fetched as you think. Have you listened to them when they receive their schedules? They talk about which teachers give “too much” work or teachers who are really “strict.” They already talk about you and your class. In fact, college students evaluate their professors after the […]
Posted inHigh School, Instruction & Curriculum, Literacy, Middle School, Social Studies
News Storytelling of Lincoln’s Assassination Will Engage Students
News stories are generally written in what is commonly known as the inverted pyramid style, in which the opening paragraph features the “5 Ws” of journalism: Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How. The reason for this style is so that the reader gets the most important information up front. Given the amount of time […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Elementary School, Featured, Interviews, Kindergarten, Middle School, Stellar Educator of the Week
Inspirational Educator: Joshua Katz, TEDx Talks' "Toxic Testing Terminator"
Every plaguing problem needs a caped crusader. When it comes to the burdensome culture of standardized assessment, teachers have found one in Joshua Katz (@jakatz87), the “Toxic Testing Terminator.” It’s been about one year since Katz delivered his TEDx Talk on “The Toxic Culture of Education.” In between then and now he’s run for political […]
Posted inAsk a Teacher, Middle School, Special Education
9 Ways to Keep Calm and Soothe the Angry Parent
When you decided to become a teacher, you did it to change the lives of children. You never imagined that attached to those children, you might find parents with endless questions, some of which go well beyond the scope of your classroom, or that some parents might get more difficult than planning lessons. Unfortunately, we […]
Posted inFeatured, High School, Middle School
The Many Hats of a Teacher
Teachers wear many hats. Frank McCourt, famous teacher and author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning autobiography Angela’s Ashes once was quoted saying this: In the high school classroom, you are a drill sergeant, a rabbi, a shoulder to cry on, a disciplinarian, a singer, a low-level scholar, a clerk, a referee, a clown, a counselor, a […]
Posted inClassroom Management, Featured, Middle School, Opinion
Four Things Teachers Should Try Before Removing a Student
At some point in their career, teachers will have to deal with a student so disruptive that the class can quickly become a nightmare. Perhaps the student talks through the lesson or throws objects in the middle of class. Sometimes, the student teases other classmates, making them uncomfortable. And when it comes to respecting the […]