I have been getting ready for Parent Orientation for the past week. Our orientation consists of meeting with the parents to go over the school handbook, school contract, school calendar and answer any questions that the adults may have. Then the adults meet with the teacher that their child will have and the teacher will […]
students
Posted inFrom the Front Lines, High School, Middle School, Opinion
What I Wish My Students Knew…
Last year, a teacher asked her students what they wished their teacher knew and it opened the eyes of teachers are around the United States. We all keep things inside and the only way for people to understand us is to let them out and share because only then can we begin to see each […]
Posted inFeatured
Making Department Meetings Productive
Our prep periods are precious. They are the few moments of the day when we can enjoy adult interaction, possibly eat, grade papers, and lesson plan. If you are an elementary school teacher, I know you do not have any time to yourself. This is why department meetings need to be quick and efficient. I […]
Posted inClassroom Management, Current Events in Education, Featured, From the Front Lines, High School, Parents
The Trials of Junior Year
Junior year in high school is considered the most difficult year for a variety of reasons. Here are reasons why and ways to help your 11th grader not only survive their junior year, but also feel accomplished. 1. Coursework. Junior year curriculum is difficult. American Literature, American History, Chemistry, and Algebra II are the core […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Elementary School, Featured, Kindergarten, Opinion
Because We Know: The Art of Teaching
Teaching is truly a calling. There is a part somewhere deep inside of teachers that make them a teacher. It collects, learns and synthesizes what is best for kids. The research, methods and strategies are only proven tools that allow the heart of the teacher to have these tools use as a vehicle to teach. Companies and […]
Posted inESOL, From the Front Lines, Instruction & Curriculum, Professional Development, Uncategorized
Advice For ESOL Teachers: Professional Development with "Speaking In Tongues"
The 2009 documentary Speaking In Tongues is a fascinating look at three bilingual programs in the San Francisco area school system. The film itself depicts the effects of learning and losing language for a variety of families over several generations. Although the film is six years old, the issues it raises are definitely still […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, From the Front Lines, High School, Instruction & Curriculum, Instructional Strategies, Literacy, Middle School, Uncategorized
15 Summer Reads for Teachers
Ah, summer. The days are long and the possibilities endless. It’s the perfect time to recuperate from a long school year, and look forward to the possibilities and opportunities the new year will afford. It’s also time to relax a little. And what better way to relax than with a great book? I’ve compiled a […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, High School, How to Fix Education, Literacy, Uncategorized
Job Insecurity in Education
I have been teaching in a district that I love for twelve years, following two years doing long-term substituting and my student teaching. It was my first choice for where I wanted to get a contract. At the time, the high school I taught in was small enough that I easily knew all the kids in […]