For the average teacher – or worker for that matter – the expectations of the job are mounting. Each year we’re given more to do with the same amount of resources, namely time. There are only 24 hours in a day, and teachers should be prioritizing them. Certainly, this is not a post to advocate […]
teacher support
Posted inFeatured, Opinion
Part II: Why a Teacher Cannot have a Normal Life….
A few weeks ago, I made a few observations about my life as a teacher. I am humbled so many people connected with it. I was in no way undermining what others do, nor was I complaining. I adore my job and I just wanted other people to see our world. It was just a […]
Posted inFeatured, Opinion
One Day: Imagine If You Could Teach But A Single Day
Imagine if you only had one day with your students: what would you say? What would you teach? Would you simply carry on as if tomorrow were as certain as a sunset, taking attendance, unwrapping lessons, following standards and grading exams? Or, more likely, are there things you want to tell your students that will […]
Posted inFeatured, Special Education
Just Say NO! How To Do It the Right Way
As special educators, we often feel obligated to do more than our job requires. The job description becomes blurrier and blurrier with time as we get more job responsibilities tacked on with time–you know you can do that Educational Testing, write that report, and work with kids in small groups, all while following an inclusion […]
Posted inFeatured, Opinion
New Year, New Start
There are so many incredible things about being a teacher. One of the many is the ability to have a fresh start. Every day is a chance to start over: reteach the lesson that fell apart yesterday, move the behavior clips back to the beginning, or even change how the desk are arranged. A new […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Uncategorized
5 Tips for Being a “YOLO TEACHER” in 2015
When I was a first-year teacher many years ago, I stumbled upon a trick that almost always seemed to work as long as it was done with the “right” group of students: learn and occasionally use (I stress the word occasionally) the expressions, euphemisms, and slang of popular culture. The students find it amusing and if […]
Posted inFeatured, How to Fix Education, Opinion
Want to Fix Schools? Give Teachers More TIME!
A few weeks ago, fellow columnist Jeremy Adams posted an article called “The Magical Solution Illusion,” illustrating how schools, students, and teachers are being pounded by an array of self-proclaimed “saviors” of the education system. I loved the article. He examined our proclivity to move toward change, from increasing class sizes to shrinking them; from […]
Posted inFeatured, Opinion, Principals' Corner
Are You at the Wrong School? 10 Questions to Ask Yourself
Dictionary.com defines a school as “an institution where instruction is given, especially to persons under college age.” But a school is so much more than that for a teacher. It isn’t just a structure housing our profession, it’s where we change students’ lives, root for the sports teams, and call a second home. It’s possibly a place […]