I know. I just spoke teacher blasphemy. Educators will tell you that any new initiative, model, or curriculum that is rolled comes with the expectation of implementing it with fidelity. In the core of my being, I am a rule follower. I don’t want to get in trouble at work, but I’m serving students not…
If you spend time around teachers at some point you have probably heard them complain about “how gullible” students are or how they “believe everything on the internet.” This is usually accompanied by some anecdote about how a student asked about a ridiculous conspiracy theory or parroted some crazy “fact” they heard on a YouTube video….
If you have been reading my work long enough, you know I am adamant about teachers pronouncing students’ names correctly. A student’s name is part of his or her identity. It is not a teacher’s place to complain about a student’s name or make fun of it. This should also apply when a child’s preferred…
Have you ever had a teacher that gave you a ton of busywork? Teachers that hand out huge double-sided packets and expect you to have them completed by the end of class. If you have had this experience, then you have probably also thought to yourself there is no possible way your teacher would grade…
From the moment I placed my children in the care of another adult, I have made it a priority to show up unannounced and see about my children. Since I didn’t have the luxury to be a stay at home mom when my boys were born, hire a nanny, or send them to grandparents, I…
School lunch has been a huge topic of discussion lately. From school districts threatening to send children to foster care over lunch debt, to community members donating their own money to pay off unpaid lunch bills, the school lunch debate has heated up over the last year. Just recently an Ohio boy, Jefferson Sharpnack, had…
Four years ago, I was given an opportunity atypical for my age. I was 27, and I was named principal of a middle school. The appointment came just five years into my teaching career. I did not know at the time, but I had an important obligation. As a principal, you always have an obligation…
Last Wednesday, Indianapolis Public Schools Superintendent Aleesia Johnson gave the first-ever State of the District address. Similar to the State of the Union address given by the President of the United States every year, this speech was designed to give the community a broad overview of the current affairs of Indianapolis Public Schools. The address…
Too many school books leave out the truth. School is the foundation where people learn about history. Parents across the nation send their children off to school each day hoping they will learn all they need to know to become successful citizens. With parents living in the fast lane trying to make sure they are…
Many students depend on the meals that are provided during school. Indianapolis Public Schools has recognized this and will continue to provide meals to students in need over the break. From October 14 to October 18 IPS will serve lunch and breakfast at several schools around the city. Over 80 percent of IPS students qualify…