I came across the blog post, “I Quit… Because I Deserve Better” that had gone viral. It was from a teacher who decided to walk away from teaching. The author left teaching because she was losing her peace of mind and turning into a person she didn’t want to become. I know the feeling because…
I wasn’t a good student. As a matter of fact, I barely got into college. I got in but only based on the strength of my ACT…certainly not my pedestrian 2.3 GPA. This might lead you to believe that I struggled in college, but nothing could be further from the truth. In my first semester,…
February 14 represents another fabulous day of Black History Month. It is Valentine’s Day. It is also International Book Giving Day. I believe it is fitting that International Book Giving the same is the same day as Valentine’s Day. Books can say so much. You can say much more to someone by giving them a…
In my first year of teaching, I was thrust into the role of a basketball coach. It was mostly because there was nobody else willing to do it. So, a former teacher and I took on the job. I remember thinking it was way more work than I expected. I remember resenting and calling out…
It’s Black History Month. The time of the year specifically designated to celebrate black achievements and pioneers in America. This month, thousands of teachers, black and white dug into their teacher resources looking for their handouts on slavery and the civil rights movement. Here is a challenge for celebrating black history moving forward: Don’t do…
Kobe Bryant, his daughter, and several others were tragically killed in a helicopter accident last week. Normally, I would have started that sentence with a hook like, “unless you have been living in a cave or under a rock…” but I truly believe there is nowhere you could have been and not heard about his…
Since I have been a writer for Indy K12, I have advocated for schools to eliminate discriminatory wording in their dress code policies that target black children. When school dress code policies state that children can’t rock an afro, wear braids, or wear dreadlocks, black children are being told their hair is not beautiful unless…
I watched YouTube of Jordan’s greatness. Kobe Bean Bryant, I remember. Kobe was the Jordan of my generation. It was January, and I remember going into my first-period weight training class as a senior in high school. The TV was on, and we watched the highlights of Kobe scoring 81 points against the Raptors. The…
Schools are not inside of a vacuum. They are within our community and our students aren’t shielded from events publicized in the media. Teachers have two choices. They can ignore what is happening in the world, or they can incorporate those events into their lesson plans. However, incorporating controversial events or tragedies can be a…
Approximately three years ago, my then 10-year-old son was diagnosed with ADHD. It has been a journey. As a mother of a little brown boy who spends so much time protecting him, this label was a little hard for me to accept. He had always done well in school with little effort until 4th grade….