As a first-year English teacher, there were lots of questions that I hadn’t expected to have to answer in my classroom. The most surprising question, however, was this one: [bctt tweet=”“Do I have to read in this class?” ” username=””] Now, in my head, there are many sarcastic and snarky comments that I could think […]
education
The Solar Eclipse-A Unique Teaching Opportunity
The Solar Eclipse-A Unique Teaching Opportunity On August 21st, 2017, we will see something amazing. For the first time in over 30 years, there will be a total solar eclipse. This is when the moon comes between the sun and the earth, blocking the sun. This year, the total eclipse will travel across North America. Other […]
A Comic Book Helped to Inspire the Civil Rights Movement
My school district recently purchased a class set of the March Trilogy, the graphic novel memoir that recounts the experiences of Congressman John Lewis (5th District, Georgia) in America’s struggle for civil rights including the marches from Selma to Montgomery. The comic book-style illustrations are engaging and some may mistake the memoir as something for children. Lewis’s experiences in the […]
Making STEM Matter in Schools
I just got back from a fascinating conference about the state of STEM in U.S. schools, sponsored by U.S. News and World Report. I was compelled by the idea of making STEM matter in schools; as a middle school teacher, I know this is the prime time to hook kids into STEM. This is the […]
Project Archaeology Leadership Academy
Summer is not only a time for reading and gardening. It’s a time for professional development. This week, I have been attending a program called Project Archaeology Leadership Academy (PALA). Project Archaeology is a national educational organization that is run in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Montana State University. Educators, museum […]
We Don’t Really Care About Education…Do We?
Regardless of the lip service we pay to it, we, as a society do not really care about education. While there are a lot of people who do care, and put in great work to better the lives of our children, globally we, as a society do not care at all. Look no further than […]
Discovering Dostoevsky in Middle Age: Why Education Is Usually Wasted on the Young
“Did I tell you that’s what I did when I was flying red eyes? I would stare out the window at the stars and get frightened by the enormity of the universe.” – High School Best Friend, Pilot, Autodidact Cory was my best friend in high school. To this day, he remains one of my […]
38 Days a Teacher: Leadership, Followership, and Fellowship
I found myself standing in front of 27 students, my first day as their teacher, the Monday after Thanksgiving. I was brought in as their Spanish teacher to pick up the pieces after their previous teacher ran screaming into the night, unable to deal with the behaviors and diverse academic needs of the 130 students […]