Week 3/11 – 3/15 One of the things that I love doing as a teacher, to keep my students focused on reading their notes from class when at home, is giving pop quizzes in class. My kids hate it… I hated it as a student, but I understand the purpose and I do it often. […]
teacher support
Posted inFeatured
Maya Angelou: The Magic of Storytelling
As teachers we constantly look for ways to engage our students in their own learning. It can get discouraging sometimes to look out into a sea of faces and know that for some – or many – the information they need just never connects. It can be the same for our own professional development – […]
Posted inFeatured, From the Front Lines, Opinion
What Are We Doing?
I dropped the ball today. I had my lesson plans done and I started my day.  This afternoon, however, my class had the opportunity to attend a special presentation from the zoo ambassador program. I went about my classroom routine of Monday, end of the nine weeks, new reading groups and new MTSS groups and […]
Posted inCharter Schools, Current Events in Education, Featured, From the Front Lines, High School, Principals' Corner
Charter School Diaries # 6 – Turning off the Cruise Control
This week was an abbreviated one. Unfortunately, I was only in school for three days (Wednesday through Friday), but the week was no less compelling. Personally, I think that fire drills are outdated, yet we actually had a small emergency where a fire drill was warranted this week. We also had an incident where a […]
Posted inClassroom Management, Featured, Instruction & Curriculum, Opinion, Parents
Being a Parent and a Teacher…an Impossible Combination?
For the past 9 years, I have been a full-time mother, wife, teacher, student, psychologist, therapist, maid, taxi driver, personal planner, party planner, reminder service caller (is there such a thing?), etc. Â The list goes on and on. Â There is not a minute in the day where I am free to do what I please. […]
Posted inFeatured, Uncategorized
The Persistence of Inequity
This is a cross-post from EdGator.com. [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”] In or around 2007, leaders in my state attempted to respond to an unfavorable Supreme Court decision by revamping how they financed schools. Being a […]
Posted inFeatured, From the Front Lines, Instruction & Curriculum, Literacy
The Art of Storytelling
Life is a series of stories. By definition, a story is a chain of events. In both formal and informal education, storytelling is an excellent teaching strategy. Think about it – teaching English, History, Reading, Science, Social Studies, Art and even Math can be enhanced by the use of stories. We’ve all told them, whether […]
Posted inFeatured, From the Front Lines, Instruction & Curriculum, Literacy, Middle School
Teaching Through Trickery: A Snapshot of Theory vs. Reality
During my first year of teaching high school, I inherited a remedial reading class that consisted of about eighteen unmotivated juniors. Having just finished a graduate program in educational psychology with emphasis placed specifically on reading and literacy, I saw this as an opportunity to take all of those research-based best practices and make readers […]