When I talk with teachers, parents, and young writers, I keep returning to the same idea: literacy today is both more fragile and more generative than it was ten years ago. The last decade has been a time of significant shifts – some hopeful, some concerning – and understanding these trends helps us make more […]
literacy
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Don’t Skimp on Social Studies! Write to Learn in History Class!
By Rhonda van Bergen In many elementary classrooms today, literacy has taken center stage as new standards in reading and writing are implemented. Teachers spend significant time teaching English Language Arts (ELA) skills and strategies to prepare students for high-stakes testing in those areas. Unfortunately, content area instruction in science and social studies often takes […]
Posted inLiteracy
The end of an era: How Pat Sajak and the Wheel of Fortune challenged a nation
As Pat Sajak has walked the set of Wheel of Fortune for the last time, educators would be remiss not to acknowledge the significance of the impact of his work on teachers and students alike. Millions of children, especially children of color in impoverished areas, have vivid memories of sitting in front of the television […]
Posted inPedagogy
We Put “To Kill a Mockingbird” on Trial
Books Are Meant to Be Discussed, Not Banned Have you signed up for The Educator’s Room Daily Newsletter? Click here and support independent journalism! Last summer, I served on the jury of my first murder trial. We heard all kinds of griping testimony, viewed extensive forensic evidence, and witnessed dramatic outbursts from the defense lawyer, […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
Your Students Deserve a Diverse Classroom Library. Here’s How to Set It Up.
Diverse Classroom Library: Our classroom libraries are in trouble. Just as more teachers are learning that their libraries need books that reflect their student populations, they also have to fight policies at the district and state levels that ban many of these same books from their libraries. Florida, for example, is banning certain materials in classroom libraries […]
Posted inOpinion
I’m a High School English Teacher. I’m Not Scared of ChatGPT
Have you signed up for The Educator’s Room Daily Newsletter? Click here and support independent journalism! I remember the first time I questioned whether a student paper was actually theirs. In an age before advanced plagiarism checkers, a colleague suggested that I Google a key phrase from the paper. I put the phrase in quotation […]
Posted inOpinion
Mythical, Fictional, Make-Believe…as Long as They Ain’t Black
Have you signed up for The Educator’s Room Daily Newsletter? Click here and support independent journalism! As a Black teacher who advocates for the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion, the heated debate about a Black Mermaid has piqued my interest on many levels. I recently discussed the issue with members of my African American Student Union […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Yes, You Can Use Movies as a Teaching Tool
How to Use Visual Texts in the ELA Classroom Have you signed up for The Educator’s Room Daily Newsletter? Click here and support independent journalism! I’m sure they’re out there, but I have yet to meet the student who insists on reading the book rather than watching the movie version of a story. That said, […]