When I was in school, the same teachers at the school, when I was a kid, were still there when both of my sisters went to school after me. Some even stayed at the school until retirement. Unfortunately, school communities aren’t like this anymore. As a teacher, you can expect your grade level team or…
There is a lot of talk about what children learn while in school. During the school day, we must ensure our children receive quality instruction that pushes them academically to be critical thinkers. The curriculum during the school day must be rigorous, engaging, and culturally competent. Just as crucial as learning during the school day…
School discipline is always a hot button issue. Whether you are talking about expulsions or time-outs, everyone has opinions about the way school discipline should be handled. That’s not for no good reason either. There are many problems with the way schools currently assign and enforce discipline. This is a big deal because the school…
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…