Next week is Teacher Appreciation Week. Most schools already had ideas and plans for this week. Jeans days, catered lunches, and small tokens of appreciations placed on teachers’ desks are some of the ways school leaders and parent/teacher associations have collaborated to show teachers some love. The coronavirus pandemic has caused school buildings to close….
Last week, I wrote about an experience I never shared before that centered on injustice towards me as a black educator. The piece resonated with black educators across the United States. I read comment after comment on various social media platforms where my piece was shared where black educators said they had similar experiences. One…
Although school buildings are closed, the school year has not ended. Teachers are working at home to support and teach their students. Yes, teachers should be grateful to be employed and getting paid during this time especially knowing that millions of Americans had to file unemployment. However, some teachers are finding this new work at…
I enjoy following Dr. Monica Cox on Twitter. She shares experiences that I have also experienced as a black educator. Not only does she share her experiences, but she also pushes forward the narrative that we should not have to endure these situations. Recently, Dr. Cox shared an Instagram post from DrPrisonProf that got me…
During the last few years, teacher strikes have been plastered across media outlets. Time Magazine even put teachers on its cover and dove into the struggles teachers face because of their compensation. Teachers are part of the backbone of our society. They expose children to opportunities that lead them to their careers, and they help…
On this day 25 years ago, I was a sixth-grader on the Planet Patrol team at Craig Middle School in Lawrence Township. It was the fourth quarter, and I was beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. The transition from elementary school at Mary Castle to middle school at Craig was…
“How are you feeling on a scale of one to five?” “Honestly, about a two or a three.” That’s how I start coaching sessions with my teachers. The longer we have been in sheltering in place at home while schools are closed, the lower my teachers’ ratings have been. I always have teachers explain their…
Check out Educator Barnes’ discussion with her sister about next school year.
The COVID-19 pandemic has turned 2020 upside down. Many people have called the situation we are facing unprecedented. Although there are many situations that are new, some situations remain the same. Students who lacked access to certain resources are still going without those resources. There are too many students who don’t have access to technology…
Every ten years, beginning in 1790, a census has taken place in the United States. Census data helps determines what happens in our communities. One of the most important parts of our community is our schools. On the United States Census 2020 website’s community impact page, this “Did you know?” was shared: Census results affect…