“That’s not what we usually do.” “Well, if it was me, I’d…” “In so-and-so’s class, we’re…” “I think of it this way…” “You’re a young teacher…” Some of these conversation starters can lead to effective dialogues and lesson enhancements. However, when your co-teacher is saying these things out loud during class in front of twenty […]
Teacher Leaders
Know Your Teacher Worth
I have an absolutely amazing older son. When my ex-husband left, Eli was there to help pick up the pieces. When I had my emotional collapse, again Eli came to the hospital everyday and even now continues to keep a close eye on me. He and I are never far from one another, with healthy […]
Teacher Resignation Accepted
Guest Post: By Patricia Wood August 2004- Jan 2016 Resigned. My teaching career is over. “Hey Mr. S, can I talk to you for a minute?” I poked my head into my principal’s office, hoping I could ask his advice. I wanted to know how to proceed on taking advantage of the unpaid family leave […]
Classroom Engagement: Signals that Work
It’s my favorite lesson to plug into the start of the school year. Before I start I want to say that, in the tradition of great teachers and great teaching, I totally stole this and then adapted it to suit my needs. This writing will deal with the idea itself, how and why I have […]
Education Consultation: Passing on Your Expertise
I get emails all the time asking questions about how I started my own school, emails that I gladly answer, but usually end up going no further than an initial contact, for whatever reason. This weekend, however, I had the pleasure of doing my first full on-site consultation, face to face, across state lines, which […]
Can Teachers Give Up Power and Keep Their Authority?
When I started teaching in 2007, I came in with very democratic ideals. I wanted my classroom to be a place where kids’ voices were honored. But as a first-year teacher with just seven weeks of training to prepare me, I was totally unequipped to make this vision a reality. At the end of that […]
No One Should be out of Place at the Opera
Right before Spring Break, my third graders took a trip to the Metropolitan Opera to attend a dress rehearsal of Mozart’s Die Entführung aus dem Serail. Going to the opera isn’t a normal part of third grade for a lot of New York City students. But thanks to my school’s dedicated music teacher, our third, […]
School Safety Doesn’t Mean What You Think
School safety is paramount to most parents. They want to believe that their children can go to school, get an education and not be bullied or threatened. The current problem in our schools is that those who make decisions about the safety of schools seem to be more focused with attacks from strangers rather than […]