The insistence on vocabulary in education is a time-tested tradition of teachers. However, as curriculum changes and adapts, so does our subject-specific student vocabulary. That said, why hasn’t teacher vocabulary altered and upgraded throughout the years? Let’s look at a few things teachers say, what we should begin saying instead, and why… 1 – Start saying […]
classroom
Posted inFeatured, Opinion
Five Important Habits for Teachers
There are so many tasks to accomplish as a teacher – important issues, small duties, and everything in between, but there is never enough time to accomplish them all. Then there are those important habits to develop, even when we don’t feel like it. The world doesn’t stop if you do not do them, but they […]
Posted inFeatured, Opinion, Uncategorized
Lack of Substitutes Is Canary in the Mine
As our local association’s president, I traveled to all 10 schools in our district for a 10-minute meeting at each one. At these meetings, I asked the members there what single topic they wanted to discuss, and at 4 of the 10, the teachers wanted to address the dearth of substitute teachers available. “]Not only […]
Posted inFeatured, Opinion
American Dream, Education Nightmare
Last night I had a dream whereby I visited the high school that my former middle school students attend. While walking up and down the hallways, I saw images of things that greatly disturbed me. First, I saw students who sat silently in desks and took tests – in every room of the high school. […]
Posted inClassroom Management, Featured
Therapy Dogs and Schools
Remember the days of the old Charlie Brown comic strips, when Charlie Brown’s dog, Snoopy, was not allowed in public places? “NO DOGS ALLOWED!” were the signs Snoopy would read. Even though the comic strip was fictional, the sentiment was true. Dogs simply were not allowed in public places except in very rare instances. Since […]
Posted inFeatured, Instructional Strategies, Social Justice
The Rise and Demise of the Sheeple
I have a rule in my classroom: [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”][bctt tweet=”If at least one parent isn’t worried or upset with my curriculum at all times then I am not doing my job.”] But Wait! […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, High School, Social Justice
The Toxic Rewards that Perpetuate our Dropout Rates
Last June, radio station WBEZ in Chicago discovered that Chicago Public Schools had been misrepresenting the number of high school dropouts. The investigation conducted by WBEZ discovered that over 2000 students were counted as “transferred” students when they’d actually dropped out. The story might have been local, but the issue is not. [bctt tweet=”Around the […]
Posted inFeatured, Instruction & Curriculum, Instructional Strategies
Thoughts on Grading Part 2: The Grading Scale
Fairness is a battle that is fought in everywhere in the United States. As teachers, we teach about fairness and the difference between what is right and what is wrong. Being aware of bias and unfair situations in the classroom is something I always strive to be aware of and I hope to bring awareness […]