Most Americans only know Mandy Manning, the 2018 National Teacher of the Year, by their own knee-jerk reaction to the State Teachers of the Year Award Ceremony at the White House and, of course, the political fallout that occurred thereafter. She’s a darling to those on the left, adorning her formal, floral black dress with […]
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What If School Was More Like Summer Camp?
Every March, the fourth grade class at my school takes an annual overnight trip to a YMCA Camp. For many of our students, this is a novel and unforgettable experience; and, it has proven to be just as formative a trip for me as a teacher. I observe levels of interest, engagement, and enthusiasm at […]
The New Teacher Chronicles: The Benefits of Cross-Curricular Education
With the school year beginning to wind down, I’ve been thinking of new ways to improve and update my curriculum for next year. What are some things that worked really well, and what are some things that I want to update? This got me thinking of ways to make my lessons even more hands-on and […]
Support Student Voices: March for Our Lives
Since the tragic Parkland, FL school shooting on February 14th, a movement has been brewing. The United States has seen gun violence in schools, in movie theaters, in airports, in churches, at concerts, and in many more places. Since Columbine, gun violence, specifically in schools has been a topic of concern. Typically, though, there is […]
I Wish Everyone Knew How Long It Takes to Plan Great Lessons
Teachers know what perfect storms in our profession look like. When you’re a teacher, the colloquialism “when it rains it pours” just isn’t enough. When it rains, we feel like we’re antediluvian Noah – minus the ark. Often, the only way out of the flood is the feeling after a great lesson has seen its […]
One Future of K-12 Education: From the Factory to a Personalized Model
From the Factory to a Personalized Model If you’re old enough, try to think back to the way teaching and learning was designed 40 or 50 years ago. The teacher was the “sage on the stage.” He or she had the subject information in their mind, and it was up to the teacher to make […]
Artist is Not a Dirty Word
I have been accused of demoralizing our profession by using the word “artist or art” when I refer to teaching. I stand by it. I was an artist before I was a teacher, a mother, or even a wife. Teaching is an art, and I challenge anyone to question it. Yes, we are artists, but […]
Project-Based Learning: A User’s Guide
Over the past several decades, trends in education have come and gone or been resurrected with a new name. “Group work” is now called “cooperative learning.” Teacher-centered learning in the form of lecture and discussion in secondary education has taken a back seat to student-centered learning where students have a greater voice in determining how […]