On Thursday, September 28th, Good Hope Middle School (the school where I teach) was one of 342 schools (35 of the middle or junior high institutions) designated a Blue Ribbon School. Since then, a few of my fellow teachers asked me “How did we earn such a distinction?”, “What does your school do differently?”, or, […]
Teacher Leaders
Posted inBack to School
They’re More than Monuments… Reconsidering History in Classrooms
by: Daniel Osborn History educators are returning to their classrooms this fall after a summer that was full of discord surrounding the fate of monuments venerating Confederate leaders. The removal or proposed removal of statues from New Orleans, Louisiana to Charlottesville, Virginia exposed social divisions and revealed the divergent historical narratives told in this country. […]
Posted inClassroom Management
No Screaming: Classroom Management Strategies That Work
Screaming can be an effective classroom management strategy if your goal is to get scared children to obey your words. It also could cause students to revolt. Why do we do it? We scream because we’re upset. We scream because it’s effective… well the first few times. The other day I led a group of […]
Posted inBack to School
Going Bare: Forget the Pinterest Ready Room
I love scrolling through all the beautiful Pinterest classrooms and seeing just how beautiful a classroom can be. However, when I looked at my classroom, I saw it was never really Pinterest-ready. I felt a pang inside me wishing I had the money or ability to do this. I realized that I had something better. My […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Making STEM Matter in Schools
I just got back from a fascinating conference about the state of STEM in U.S. schools, sponsored by U.S. News and World Report. I was compelled by the idea of making STEM matter in schools; as a middle school teacher, I know this is the prime time to hook kids into STEM. This is the […]
Posted inTeacher Leaders
You Can Always Find the Re-Igniting Fuel in Teaching
It’s the time of the year that we all look forward to the end of the school year. Teachers finally get the opportunity to sit down while enjoying their lunch, use the restroom without a bell schedule, reclaim some free time in the evenings, and truly, honestly, relax. This is the time of year for […]
Posted inHigh School, Instructional Strategies, Teacher Leaders
The Student Who Can, but Won’t
Every teacher is told that they must teach to all learning styles, that they must follow 504 plans and Individual Education Plans (IEPs), and that they are responsible for differentiating assignments so that all students can learn equally. What if a teacher does all of these things, but a student simply won’t learn? Believe it […]
Posted inTeacher Leaders
What I Learned About Burnout Prevention As A New Teacher
by Guest Writer Bailey Cavender As a first year teacher, I never really understood summer vacation until school ended for the year this past week. Sure, I enjoyed summer vacation while I was a student. It was nice to have some time to read books for fun or to watch a movie […]