Vice President Harris’ choice as Minnesota Governor Tim Walz for a running mate is not even two hours old, and I am celebrating. Why? As a social studies educator, I hope a Democratic victory in November will bring a former teacher’s voice into the Oval Office. It’s my hope that Walz’s influence on education policy […]
opinion
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
Thank You, Joe Biden
I’ve been a teacher since Bill Clinton. In my first year, when kids didn’t speak up during a presentation I’d say, “Let’s use the same voice a president would use to give a speech.” Later, after the September 11th attacks, I’d tell my class how some things must be taken seriously, just like President Bush […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
How the NBA’s Jaylen Brown’s Story… signifies the intentional demise of Black kids in America’s schools
“My teacher said she will look me up in the Cobb county jail in 5 years… Wow!” This was a quote published to Twitter, now X, in 2014. It was posted by a young Black man named Jaylen Brown, who graduated from Wheeler High School in Georgia. He grew up in a diverse community in […]
Posted inAsk a Teacher
Shifting the misperception of American educators
If social media can be counted on for anything, it is reliable in the ability to tick me off and throw me into a spiral of rage-induced overthinking. The most recent spark came from a simple meme stating, ” I read today that in Denmark, empathy is taught as a school subject. We really should […]
Posted inOpinion
Embracing Deaf Representation: Strategies for Fostering Inclusivity in Education
Have you signed up for The Educator’s Room Newsletter? Click here and support independent journalism! Picture this: I once taught at a school that served preschool through fifth grade, including students who were Deaf or Hard of Hearing. But despite our efforts to create an inclusive learning environment, there was a noticeable lack of understanding […]
Posted inOpinion
From Tennessee to Your Classroom, Amplify Student Voices
Have you signed up for The Educator’s Room Newsletter? Click here and support independent journalism! Like many, I was captivated by the story of the expulsion of two Democratic lawmakers in Tennessee. I was drawn in by the righteous and justifiable indignation, the engaging call to action, and I listened intently to the powerful voices […]
Posted inOpinion
Native American Deaf History is American Deaf History
Have you signed up for The Educator’s Room Newsletter? Click here and support independent journalism! As we celebrate another Deaf History Month, I am reflecting on the excitement I felt experiencing American Sign Language (ASL) highlighted in Super Bowl LVII. The unique and creative rendition of the “Star Spangled Banner” by Troy Kotsur, the first […]
Posted inOpinion
What COVID Could Have Taught Us
Have you signed up for The Educator’s Room Daily Newsletter? Click here and support independent journalism! The three-year anniversary of the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic coincides with my birthday. I remember having a school potluck on that Friday, not knowing the very next day that we would be informed that we would not be […]