I’m going to admit – I’ve been a bit flummoxed lately. Perplexed. Bemused. Set back. I tussle with many of life’s questions, but one of the greatest is — How do I help my students achieve more? As a 9-year teacher, I stand in front of the classroom with a wide variety of tools on […]
Opinion
Posted inClassroom Management, Featured, Instruction & Curriculum, Opinion
Choices: The Key to Differentiated Instruction
Students have choices. Choice is of the key elements on our new evaluation system, but sometimes I do not have time to offer students a choice. We all are busy, and thinking of new and creative projects is sometimes exhausting and frankly many do not meet the new common core standards. But incorporating choice makes differentiated instruction […]
Posted inFeatured, From the Front Lines, Instruction & Curriculum, Literacy, Opinion
Creative Writing Strategies For Elementary Students – Outside Of The Classroom
Writing is a huge component in my second and third grade classroom. Next to speaking properly, communicating through the written word is an important life skill that needs to be developed which will follow children throughout their lives. The sooner the basics of writing are introduced and honed, the easier this skill will become as […]
Posted inFeatured, Opinion
New Year, New Start
There are so many incredible things about being a teacher. One of the many is the ability to have a fresh start. Every day is a chance to start over: reteach the lesson that fell apart yesterday, move the behavior clips back to the beginning, or even change how the desk are arranged. A new […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, Opinion
No Child Left Behind: 13 Unlucky, Yucky Years
On January 8th, 2002, President George W. Bush signed a revolutionary law into action – the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). It was a pretty easy bill to sign into law: it was introduced in the House by Committee on Education and Labor Chair (and current Speaker) John Boehner, a Republican, and Sen. Ted […]
Posted inFeatured, How to Fix Education, Opinion
Want to Fix Schools? Give Teachers More TIME!
A few weeks ago, fellow columnist Jeremy Adams posted an article called “The Magical Solution Illusion,” illustrating how schools, students, and teachers are being pounded by an array of self-proclaimed “saviors” of the education system. I loved the article. He examined our proclivity to move toward change, from increasing class sizes to shrinking them; from […]
Posted inFeatured, Opinion
Dear Santa…
Dear Santa, Well, it’s that time of year again. The end of the first semester. And I am tired. Like, exhausted. Mentally, physically and emotionally. It’s been a long 83 days. And that doesn’t even include the days of school from last January to May or all the time I spent on ‘summer break’ preparing […]
Posted inFeatured, Opinion
Teachers Need to be on the Same Team
“A house divided shall not stand,” and neither will a public school. I am really seeing this issue clearly for the first time this year. At my elementary school, we have begun much more integration of grade levels. Two teachers teach math to three different grade levels, one teacher teaches reading to two grade levels, and I myself have […]