When I studied for my M.Ed. in Leadership, the lasting lesson that I pulled from my coursework was from a program called Understanding By Design (now called “Backward Design”). It essentially advocates effective teaching is to lesson plan by beginning with the outcome – whether for the year, unit, week, or lesson. Why? The most […]
Search results
Today’s Homeschool Struggles Are Yesterday’s In-School Struggles
“Pa-Pa!” my kindergartener yelled out as I taught 10 feet away. “Papa! Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!” I looked up to see my youngest daughter red-faced, panicked, and irritated as her eyes darted from her computer screen to me to the papers scattered around her. “I need Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the […]
Weaponizing Equity: White Saviorism and the School Reopening Debate
Guest Writer: Kenny Ludlow Kenny has worked in public schools for the past ten years in various capacities, and spent the past six years working as a classroom teacher. She has a passion for supporting and empowering other educators and currently works as a mentor for early career teachers in the Bay Area. She has […]
Equity, Access, and Affirming Deaf Identity
Michele Lamons-Raiford is a hearing American Sign Language (ASL) teacher at Pinole Valley High School in the West Contra Costa Unified School District. She has been a High School teacher for the past nineteen years, as well as an Adjunct Instructor at Solano Community College for the past fourteen years. She has a BA and […]
Evaluating Teachers During a Pandemic Is Ridiculous
I am that person who enjoys the app Timehop and On This Day on Facebook where it gathers pictures, quotes, or status from the past. This morning reminded me of one of my most dramatic mornings as a teacher. So I slept through my alarm this morning. The cat awakens me screaming to be let […]
Nobody Trusts Teachers
Nobody trusts teachers. Imagine a snowy Wednesday morning in February–a scheduled remote teaching day and a day following an actual, old-school type of snow day. [bctt tweet=”Now imagine teachers driving on those snow-covered roads to teach via Google Meets in empty classrooms. ” username=””] Picture many of those same teachers scrambling for child care because the […]
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teachers: Habit 1 – Be Proactive
In the children’s book Alexander and the Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, author Judith Viorst’s protagonist Alexander continually falls victim to an awful 24-hour period, saying things like: “I fell asleep with gum in my mouth and now there’s gum in my hair,” “All the other kids had cupcakes, Hershey bars, and other desserts, […]
How Amanda Gorman’s Poetry Inspired my Lesson
On January 20th or Inauguration Day, Amanda Gorman, the youngest inaugural poet, a young black woman stood in front of the United States and blew us away with her moving words, and her beautiful delivery. As an educator, a young black woman, and an immigrant, I felt invigorated by her words. One line, in particular, […]