I have always loved learning. Not the sit in a desk and absorb everything from a lecture, but hands-on interactive discussion that is true learning. In my 19 years of education, I have seen three things that slowly are breaking down our education system. These three things make me exhausted each day before I even […]
Opinion
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Opinion
Why Some Teachers are Conservative
This column is written as a compliment to “Why Teaching is the Most Liberal Job in America,” by fellow TER writer Jake Miller What does it mean to be “conservative” and teach in a modern public school? One of the central tenants of conservatism is prudence; thus it would be wise to begin this […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, From the Front Lines, Opinion
Why Teaching Is the “Most Liberal Job in America”
This column is written as a complement to the column “Why Some Teachers are Conservative,” by fellow TER writer Jeremy Adams. When the Harrisburg Patriot-News and Washington Post declared teaching the “most liberal job in America,” one would be hard-pressed to find a reader overcome with shock and surprise. In fact, maybe this has become […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, From the Front Lines, Opinion
Why Teaching Is the "Most Liberal Job in America"
This column is written as a complement to the column “Why Some Teachers are Conservative,” by fellow TER writer Jeremy Adams. When the Harrisburg Patriot-News and Washington Post declared teaching the “most liberal job in America,” one would be hard-pressed to find a reader overcome with shock and surprise. In fact, maybe this has become […]
Posted inAdult Learning, Child Development, Classroom Management, Confessions of a Teacher, Current Events in Education, Elementary School, Featured, From the Front Lines, High School, Instructional Strategies, Kindergarten, Middle School, Opinion, Parents, Professional Development, School Improvement, Special Education
The Mental State of Teaching
“The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.” – William James Is anyone else climbing into this boat and dropping anchor? I know I am. My life has been turned upside down since January with personal struggles, professional struggles and just day-to-day struggles that seem to be heavier than […]
Posted inFeatured, Opinion
The Original Purpose of Charter Schools
For me, the core of the charter school issue lies in the difference between what charters were originally intended to be, and what they have become. The original model (and I can remember hearing about this when I was a teenager), was a student-centered, educator-designed and delivered, locally controlled endeavor. Consider the New York Times, […]
Posted inClassroom Management, Featured, Opinion, Principals' Corner
Deskside Manner: How Doctors Have An Unfair Advantage Over Teachers
Last week, we explored several what teachers can learn from doctors in my first article on “deskside manner.” As some of our readers and Facebook followers pointed out, there are some serious discrepancies and disadvantages that teachers have in comparison to doctors. Let’s explore some of them: 1 – Teachers need to see 20-30 students at a […]
Posted inCommon Core, Featured, Opinion
School VALUES, not “Standards”
Let’s start talking about shared core values, not common standards, please. My colleagues, my students, their parents, my own children… none of them are “common” or “standard.” This sentiment isn’t new to anyone who is serious about education and has done it for any length of time, or to anyone who has children of their […]