The protests this summer focused on the importance of acknowledging racism, demanding police reform, and showing that Black lives do matter. School districts across the country felt compelled to release statements acknowledging the social unrest. Some of these statements mentioned actions these districts had already taken and what these districts were going to do moving…
The election is right around the corner. You may be thinking, as an educator, that it is probably a good idea to teach students about the political process. If you are in Indiana, you are technically required to do so according to Indiana Code 20-30-5-4: Sec. 4. (a) Each public school and nonpublic school shall…
Students in Indiana study Indiana history in fourth grade. One assignment Hoosier 4th graders typically complete is research about a prominent Hoosier. Unfortunately, the list of Hoosiers students are provided has not changed much over the decades, and most of the people on the list are white. There are nearly 1.2 million students in Indiana….
A discussion that has come up a lot is the difference between coaching and mentoring. People are asking, “What is the difference between a coach and a mentor?” The skills required are often similar, but there is, in my mind, a difference between the two. I believe there a certain situation that needs a mentor…
Coronavirus has created tons of problems all around the world. This pandemic has forced people to come up with solutions to new problems. However, mostly what it has done is exacerbate existing problems and gaps that were never addressed. This is most noticeable around issues like inequality and the digital divide. In education, COVID-19 has…
American writer Susan Eloise Hinton, who is commonly known as S.E. Hinton, caused controversy when responding to a person about her well-known novel, “The Outsiders.” Educator Christie DeHart tagged Hinton on Twitter and made the following request, “Please consider writing a graphic novel version of The Outsiders. My students love your novel, and I know…
There are close to 50 million Hispanic people in the United States. But like many minority groups in the United States, their history and heritage are often overlooked by the traditional educational standards. That is where National Hispanic Heritage Month comes in. Like Black History Month, Hispanic Heritage Month was designed to combat the tendency…
There has been a debate about what is more important, academics or students’ mental health. The coronavirus pandemic has consumed the majority of 2020, and it is not clear when it will come to an end. What is clear is that schools are trying to resume some sense of normalcy. What has mostly been left…
Hispanic Heritage Month begins each year on September 15. The month begins on September 15 because this is the day five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua gained independence. Also, Mexico, Chile, and Belize’s independence days happen within Hispanic Heritage Month. This month is an opportunity to shine a light…
With elections around the corner, political opponents all around the country are sparring off against one another in televised debates. This includes but is not exclusive to the presidential debates. Considering the fact that these events will dominate the news cycle for the next month it is probably a good idea to teach your students…