Posted inCurrent Events in Education, High School, Instructional Coach Files, Instructional Strategies, Middle School, Professional Development

The Problem in Urban Schools- Stop Teaching to the Test

“I mean even though I taught all of the standards last semester, but I don’t feel like my kids learned anything!” These were the words one of the teachers who I support as an Instructional Coach said to me  as we sat in her classroom after school discussed all things teaching and learning. This wasn’t […]

Posted inFeatured, Instruction & Curriculum, Mathematics

Top five reasons to go to the 2015 NCTM Annual Conference

I have attended the past eight NCTM (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics) conferences. The event has become an annual highlight in both my academic and professional careers. For me, the conference has always been about learning. There were some years when I savored a walk through the exhibit hall to discover the newest software […]

Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, High School, Instruction & Curriculum, Middle School, Opinion

The Truth Behind the Atlanta Public Schools Cheating Scandal

By now the headlines have screamed about how teachers and administrators cheated in Atlanta Public Schools (APS) to falsify results from the CRCT exams in elementary and middle schools. As a teacher who worked in APS for several years, these headlines literally make my stomach turn. Despite the claims about answer changing parties, administrators who […]

Posted inInstruction & Curriculum

How Principals Should Model NCAA Women’s Basketball Post Conferences to Cultivate Effective, Culturally Intelligent Teachers

Every March, the NCAA March Madness showcases the best and brightest in women’s basketball to millions of viewers. And every year, principals and administrators observe teachers for at least 45 minutes to grade their effectiveness as teachers. This is such a high-stakes procedure, as anything can happen that would make the most effective teacher, look […]

Posted inSpecial Education

One Size Fits All Been Trash: Curating and cultivating mastery is the new drip

Curating and cultivating mastery is like planting seeds in a garden; it requires patience, care, and a keen eye for nurturing potential. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires special education services to support learners in three specific areas: advanced educational opportunities, employment, and increased independence. As a special education teacher, As a Teacher of […]

Posted inAsk a Teacher

Teach with humility; Achieve the impossible in teaching expectations

It seems to me that being a modern-day teacher is more challenging than ever before. On average, 15% of students nationwide receive IDEA services for individualized education plans (NCES, 2023). In addition, national movements to improve outcomes for struggling learners (eg. multi-tiered systems of support) have vastly shifted the roles and responsibilities of the traditional […]