Schools are not inside of a vacuum. They are within our community and our students aren’t shielded from events publicized in the media. Teachers have two choices. They can ignore what is happening in the world, or they can incorporate those events into their lesson plans. However, incorporating controversial events or tragedies can be a…
Regardless of the role, I have held thus far during my career, literacy has been at the core. One of my favorite activities is reading a book aloud, whether that is at school as an educator or at home as a parent. Currently, I’m a school administrator, and I have been asked twice to read…
Saying the words ‘school choice’ could start a fight. Let’s get real; it will start a fight. We should have never found ourselves in a place to judge the rights of other people to make choices and decisions about their families, but here we are. Who are we to judge the choices of others? What…
Children are born into this world innocent. They love easily, and they don’t have hate in their hearts. But if that child happens to be black? He or she will find out that Earth, Wind & Fire were correct when they sang, “child is born with a heart gold; way of the world makes his…
Saturday is officially the first day of Black History Month. Can I tell you a secret? I have already been celebrating black history. I celebrate from January 1 until December 31. Why? Well, because I’m black every single day. It is important for me to hear positive stories about black people and see positive images…
When I was a kid, I experienced education at school and education at home. In our living room were two large bookshelves. On the shelves were books my parents purchased to expand our learning. Many of these books focused on black people and black history. When I became a parent, I quickly understood why my…
Homework can become a divisive topic in education. It’s a subject where there seems to be no middle ground. Some educators believe homework is necessary, and other educators believe it is a hassle and a waste of time. Which group of educators is correct? There are other stakeholders that should be considered such as parents….
Recently, I came across a tweet that resonated with my beliefs. @CocoCurls1517 tweeted: Teachers be quick to use all sources of getting in contact w you to tell you that your child is misbehaving in class, but lack that same effort to tell you that your child didn’t score well on a quiz/test or not…
Last school year, I wrapped up my 13th year as a teacher, but year 14, I returned as a school administrator. There are two types of administrators, those who were great teachers and those who were not. We all know of those administrators whose charisma, nepotism, or friendship got them a leadership role. What about…
Social-emotional learning (SEL) curriculum is being incorporated into schools across the United States, but it is not mandated. Maybe, it should be. In Denmark, empathy classes are part of the national curriculum. According to Bright Vibes: Denmark has consistently ranked in the top three happiest countries in the world in the UN’s World Happiness report…