urnA few years ago, my best teacher friend and I decided the entire population of the world could be dived into two kinds of people: spreadsheet people and stack people. Spreadsheet people sort and file. They label and color-code. Their organizational world is akin to the beloved spreadsheet after which they are named and on […]
students
Posted inFeatured, Instruction & Curriculum, Opinion
Things Teachers Are Saying Wrong, and How to Correct Them
The insistence on vocabulary in education is a time-tested tradition of teachers. However, as curriculum changes and adapts, so does our subject-specific student vocabulary. That said, why hasn’t teacher vocabulary altered and upgraded throughout the years? Let’s look at a few things teachers say, what we should begin saying instead, and why… 1 – Start saying […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, From the Front Lines, Instruction & Curriculum, Opinion
When a Student Won’t Leave the Room
“Give me your phone now!” I demanded to the Lisette* as I attempted to quiet my noisy class after the first-period bell stopped ringing. Glaring at me over the rim of her glasses, Lisette* emphatically replied, “No”. Frustrated, I hit the buzzer to our discipline office. The other kids quieted down to witness the showdown- anything […]
Posted inFeatured, Opinion
Five Important Habits for Teachers
There are so many tasks to accomplish as a teacher – important issues, small duties, and everything in between, but there is never enough time to accomplish them all. Then there are those important habits to develop, even when we don’t feel like it. The world doesn’t stop if you do not do them, but they […]
Posted inFeatured, Opinion, Uncategorized
Lack of Substitutes Is Canary in the Mine
As our local association’s president, I traveled to all 10 schools in our district for a 10-minute meeting at each one. At these meetings, I asked the members there what single topic they wanted to discuss, and at 4 of the 10, the teachers wanted to address the dearth of substitute teachers available. “]Not only […]
Posted inFeatured, Instruction & Curriculum, Instructional Strategies, Mathematics
Math Talk – Fostering Mathematical Thinking
The two most powerful learning techniques that I used with my math classes were Think Aloud and Math Talk. I used Think Aloud, which is teacher directed, with the entire class slowly transitioning them into Math Talk for their group work. My Think Aloud Procedure I would begin with a problem that many of my […]
Posted inFeatured, Instructional Strategies, Social Justice
The Rise and Demise of the Sheeple
I have a rule in my classroom: [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][bctt tweet=”If at least one parent isn’t worried or upset with my curriculum at all times then I am not doing my job.”] But Wait! […]
Posted inFeatured
Why I Read To Eighth Graders
They have to read on their own. You should be assigning reading and having them read it, not reading it all to them. That’s spoon-feeding. I have heard this for the past thirteen years I’ve been teaching. When I taught high school English, I would read The Odyssey aloud to my ninth graders, The Great Gatsby to my […]