Due to rising COVID-19 cases, all schools in Marion county, both public and private, were ordered to return to 100% remote instruction by November 30. This order was to remain in place until January 15. Due to updated guidelines from the CDC, the timeline has changed. In a press conference, Dr. Virginia Caine, stated that…
4 Ways to Maintain Student Engagement on Zoom
As the COVID-19 pandemic drags on, many schools have retreated to the internet. Whether districts are operating fully or partially online, there is a strong chance that you are using Zoom or some other program like it. The upside of teaching on Zoom is behavior management as the “host” is all powerful in a Zoom…
Leaders, It’s Time to Listen to Your Teachers’ Feedback about You
If you want to see the true measure of a leader, look at how the person operates in a crisis and under pressure. This school year, many leaders showed their true colors, some for better and some for worse. Currently, I am a middle school academic dean. My role was created by my school last…
ILEARN & IREAD-3 Must Be Administered In-Person
At the end of the 2019-2020 school year, students did not have to take standardized assessments due to the coronavirus pandemic. During this school year, although the pandemic continues, there have not been any signs to suggest the tests will be canceled again. Recently, IDOE released guidance for schools to share with parents to inform…
Teachers Will Be Among the First to Receive COVID-19 Vaccine
As news of successful COVID-19 vaccine tests by both Pfizer and Moderna spread, states are already starting to plan how they will distribute a potential vaccine. This has people wondering exactly where they fall in line. If you are an Indiana teacher, we have an answer to that question, second. Long-term care facility residents and…
When Teachers Feel They Are Beyond Reproach
Recently I caused a bit of an uproar on social media with a post. Did I know it would cause a disruption? No, but I was not surprised by the reactions. There is a section of passionate teachers who take their job seriously, and they do not take well to what they feel is criticism….
The Racists Aren’t All in Rural Indiana
We are finally in the final month of December. Although 2020 will be a year we all won’t forget due to the coronavirus pandemic, it wasn’t all negative. The pandemic forced everyone to chill for a moment. During those moments of being at home with access to activities we loved being canceled, we were forced…
The Teacher Who Couldn’t Read Isn’t a Story to Celebrate
Recently an article from 2018 made its rounds around social media again. The article focused on John Corcoran who shares his story of how he didn’t learn to read until he was an adult. No one should leave school without being able to read. It makes life difficult for those children when they become adults. …
What Teachers Can Learn from ‘Jingle Jangle’
“Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey” is a new Christmas movie on Netflix that premiered earlier this month. The movie begins with two children sitting in front of the fireplace and then their grandmother, played by Phylicia Rashad, enters the room to read them a story. “Ready for storytime?” “Can we please read ‘The Night Before…
We Need to Explicitly Teach Native American History in Schools
Stop me if you have heard this before: Schools need to do a better job of teaching the history and contributions of a marginalized group. This time we are talking about Native Americans, the Indigenous populations of the Americas. Many people are under the impression that we already do this, but we don’t. Right now,…