On paper, teaching seems like the perfect job. Summers at home, the workday ends at three, you’re off when your kids are off, and we get to work with children all day long. I mean, what more could one possibly want? As with life, things are not always what they seem. Teaching is hard. Parenting is […]
teaching
Teaching and the Fear of a Mistake
Teaching. No other profession is so closely watched for mistakes. Of course, I realize why- we are in charge of America’s future and it is a very important job. Public school teachers have an extra reason for being held accountable: we are paid with the public’s tax money. Teachers take their roles very seriously and we […]
Teaching in the Winter: The Best Time of Year
By Guest Writer Jeffrey Benson [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”] It’s the middle of winter in the U.S. Northeast. I wake in the dark, there’s snow and ice to scrape off my windshield, and all the […]
Why a Teacher Cannot have a Normal Life…
“Oh, you are a teacher? It must be so nice to have two months off. I have a normal job with only two weeks’ vacation.” We have all heard it. And to be honest, we are sick of it. Sure, we get summers “off.” I do not need to mention the workshops, lesson plans, and […]
A Light to Turn On
[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”] Little people. That is whom I teach. I have a room full of loud, curious, eager, fidgety little people who I must teach Reading, Math, English, Social Studies, Science, critical thinking, […]
Teacher Professionalism (With a Twist of Occasional Humor)
I once read a quote that said, “People think I’m crazy, but I like to think of myself as normal with a twist of awesome!” Because I have an outgoing, flowery personality, I honestly feel that some people DO think I’m crazy, but the way I look at it is that someday I’ll be six feet under […]
The Beauty of Mistakes
I still do spelling tests in my classroom. I know some schools have gotten away from weekly spelling tests, for one reason or another. I feel that it is an important skill to continue through all grades. We are two weeks into school, the second spelling test, and it happened. One of my overachievers melted […]
Assigning Public Speaking Isn't Teaching
By Erik Palmer I am concerned about student oral communication. Students don’t generally speak well and almost all of them fear or hate presenting. I also think about the speaking and listening standard of the Common Core State Standards. I realize that so far I am alone in focusing on this standard but I truly […]