English, the “Official” American Language Although the United States does not have an official language, everyone knows that English is the language of the land. Despite our history of multilingual immigrants who later became Americans, English has always been the “American language.” Our school system has reinforced this idea and has caused many challenges for […]
Diversity
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
[Opinion]I’m Tired: The Cultural Burden of a Being the Token Assistant Principal
“White people can be exhausting.” That’s the first line in Austin Channing Brown’s book titled, I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness. While this line is most likely jarring for some, I must say, as an African-American woman in a space of Whiteness as an Assistant Principal, it is true. Embarking […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
I’m a Teacher and My Child is a Trans-Man
I have a confession to make. I’ve sat on a “secret” for a while, trying to figure out how to understand it. It’s taken me a LONG time to get to this point, but it has to be said. My oldest child, age 23, born Lauren, is a trans-man named Christian. As a conservative, religious […]
Posted inOpinion
Reflection: World Hijab Day and Teaching
The hijab, an item Muslim women wear to express modesty taught within their faith, might seem oppressive to people outside of this faith. This is why Nazma Khan created World Hijab Day in 2013 to be celebrated annually on the first day of February. Through this day, she hoped to bring understanding and tolerance. When […]
Posted inCommon Core
“Let Them Eat Cake:” How Teachers Can Resist Banned Words
Words never uttered can be extremely significant. Often the perception of words said (or unsaid) carry more importance than truth. In October of 1789, Marie Antoinette did not look down at the swarming hordes of fishmonger women storming the Palace on Versailles and […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Making the Dual Language Decision
We all know that communicating with parents is essential to being an effective educator, but when the majority of your students speak a different language at home, it becomes frustrating to have to find a translator for every single phone call. I’ve also learned, after numerous confusing emails, not to completely trust Google Translate. I […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, English Language Learners, ESOL, Featured, From the Front Lines, Professional Development, School Improvement, Social Justice, Uncategorized
Hidden Stories of the Average American Classroom
I recently attended a professional development presentation on poverty, and one slide that struck me was the structure of the average American classroom. In fact, I cannot stop thinking about it. Doris Baboian (our presenter and Director of Student Services in my district) noted a 2007 joint study by the U.S. Department of Education and […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, High School
Hosting an LGBQTA Prom
Last month the rural Vermont high school in which I teach at hosted a well attended LGBTQA prom as a culminating festivity for the 9th Annual Queer Allied Youth Summit. It was a first of its kind for our county, our community and our school; its success lay in the hands of a few teachers, […]