“Do you want me to carry a gun?” The controversial question I ask my students the day we return after the mid-winter break. The responses vary each class block. Some kids, say “yes,” others giggle. Most shake their heads negatively. Each of my four sections of sophomore-level Global History is distinct in their desire to […]
gun violence
Gun Violence in America: 4 Ways To Talk About the Elephant in the Room
I woke up Monday morning to the horrific news of yet another mass shooting in America, this time in Las Vegas, where 59 people tragically lost their lives and more than 500 people were injured in an act of senseless gun violence. When I sat down to write today, I was hoping to come up […]
Gun Violence: A Teacher's New Normal?
Tomorrow morning I’ll bike to school like I always do. I’ll park by my classroom, unlock the outside door, and head into the indoor hallway. I’ll hear other English teachers leading their lessons, and I’ll peek inside to see the 7th grade faces. As I near my classroom, I’ll hear the chatter from the Spanish […]
Unspeakable Things We Must Speak About
The next time every teacher in this country faces his or her students, whether this week or after the winter break, it will be with a heavy heart and deep sadness. Teachers died on Friday trying to save their students. And there is not a teacher still living who would not do the same. Much […]