The classroom is a microcosm of the outside community. The thoughts and feelings students have based on events that happen outside of the classroom are inside of students when they enter into the classroom. Educators can pretend as if the outside world does not exist, or educators can lean in and embrace the reality and…
When George Floyd died after a police officer had his knee on his neck for over seven minutes, protests happened around the world. In addition to protests, organizations felt compelled or guilted into putting out a statement to address the situation. Some statements were vague stating the organization supports humanity, diverse people, and peaceful protest….
My sons attend school in Washington Township. Their school district leadership decided to reopen all schools remotely. My twin sons’ first day of school was July 30, and we have had highs and lows. Although my husband and I tried to take what we learned from our children attending school remotely when school buildings closed…
School buildings closed across the country last spring, and now, they are reopening. The reopening plans vary state to state, city to city, and from district to district. The options have been reopening 100% remotely, reopening in-person with the options for families to opt into remote learning, or hybrid with students attending school in-person part…
Teacher burnout is real. Some teachers are already crashing and burning, and we are only in the first quarter of the school year. The coronavirus pandemic has made being an educator much more intense. Spoiler alert: remote learning is not less work. Teachers are learning a different way to deliver instruction, and even if they…
Remote learning is not new. There have been virtual schools before the pandemic. What is new is that schools that have not offered remote learning have been forced into the virtual world and are trying to determine best practices to implement. Teachers and administrators have had different opinions on what is best. Here are some…
Even if you are a prominent person in society, like Kamala Harris, you can still be subjected to people carelessly mispronouncing your name. A person’s name is part of their identity. It is important, no matter how difficult a name appears or whether the name doesn’t follow standard English pronunciation rules, that an effort—a commitment—is…
When school building closed earlier this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, educators worked overtime to figure out how to provide the best instruction for students remotely. Educators were praised for their efforts. Shonda Rhimes, a television producer and writer tweeted back in March, “Been homeschooling a 6-year old and 8-year old for one hour…
My fourth-grade twin sons attend school in Washington Township. Washington Township decided to reopen schools remotely for all students. Remote learning is different than it was when schools closed back in March. The stakes are higher and more is being demanded of students. Last spring, remote work was optional for a few weeks. Then, it…
Educator Barnes addresses how white educators are slowing down and thwarting the work of anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion by trying to lead the movement.