Year One. Friday, January 20, 2017, saw the inauguration of the 45th president of the United States of America. On January 25, 2017, I hesitantly pushed the publish button — sharing my thoughts with the internet with my first piece: “I am a Feminist, but I didn’t vote for Hillary Clinton.” Therefore, Trump’s ascendency and […]
Search results
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Five Books That Will Make Your World Bigger
Someone once said that reading can make your world bigger. Someone also said that reading can be a mirror to your own true self. I projected both of these thoughts on the screen in my classroom recently as a way for my 8th grade ELA students to reflect on the books they read during the […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
What Will it Take for White Teachers to #TalkAboutTrayvon?
Image from Flckr user @dignidadrebelde I received an e-mail today from Showing Up for Racial Justice reminding me that today is the 5th anniversary of Trayvon Martin’s death. It is hard to believe five years have passed already. It is sobering to reflect on the growth of the Movement for Black Lives alongside the growing […]
Posted inOpinion
Religion Isn’t Dead in Schools
From time to time, I receive an email from a parent asking “how do you go about teaching religion?” They are afraid that learning about other religions or even Greek mythology will taint the family beliefs that they and/or their institution have taught. As a public school teacher, there’s really one answer – “I don’t teach […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, Instruction & Curriculum
A Year of Third-Grade Activism
[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”] My sixth year of teaching is behind me now, and like every year, I’m thinking about what to celebrate and where I need to grow next year. Each day I come home from […]
Posted inCOVID
And Now They Are Seniors: The Covid Class of 2024
“Ms Lamons, do you remember meeting me online? Honestly, that whole year is a bit of a blur.” It just hit me. I met my incoming seniors for the 2023-2024 school year for the first time online. I met them behind the infamous Black Square Boxes. I engaged with them for an entire school year […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
The Need for Restorative Justice: The Zwerner and Taylor Story
In January of 2023, a 1st-grade teacher, Abigail Zwerner, was shot by her student; the bullet tore through her left hand and collapsed one of her lungs. Zwerner described the situation as a “monstrous event.” According to her statement: “He pointed the gun directly at me… I lost myself. I can’t teach again. I’ve lost […]
Posted inAsk a Teacher
Post Pandemic Teaching: Teachers take home trauma
Teachers can be traumatized, too. And, I’m not talking about dealing with students who “misbehave” or give them a hard time, although those times can be tough. I’m talking about the teachers who are in the trenches, educating the kids who carry heavy (and sometimes invisible) trauma on their shoulders on a daily basis. Our […]