Close your door, and do what’s best for kids. I hear this sometimes. I’ve said this before. And from what I’ve gathered, the sentiment is not all that uncommon. Amidst all the district initiatives, required testing, and things we have to do, educators know when practices are becoming detrimental to our students. We instinctively know… Continue reading Stop Closing the Door
Tag: education reform
One Word 2020: Voice
Our voices are powerful things. Whether we express them verbally in person, through our words in writing, or any other mode of communication, they hold weight. They can be used to spread joy and positivity or to breed a negative message. In either case, they have great power. I was reminded recently of a TED… Continue reading One Word 2020: Voice
Letting Go of Control in Your Classroom
When I talk to other teachers about personalized learning, I always share how difficult it was for me at the beginning (and sometimes it still is). There are always challenges with anything, especially when it’s new, and personalized learning is no different. This philosophy allows for a lot of student freedom, self-regulation, and choice, which… Continue reading Letting Go of Control in Your Classroom
What I Learned From Going Standards-Based
School supplies are back in stock at the stores, fall flavors are being advertised, and teachers are posting their classroom decor on social media. All signs point to back to school season, and if my nightmares of being late on the first day are any indication, we are in full swing. As teachers gear up… Continue reading What I Learned From Going Standards-Based
The Case for School Librarians
School librarians are a significant part of the educational experience we offer our students. They provide collaborative, engaging learning environments full of information for our kids. They are a wealth of knowledge on the books they have available, easily able to recommend and direct kids toward their next great read. They develop positive relationships with… Continue reading The Case for School Librarians
On Teaching Writing
Teaching writing is my passion. Like anything else, as time passes I continue to learn more effective methods for nurturing the young voices in my classroom. There are instructional best practices to put in place, research-based strategies to employ, writing powerhouses to learn from, and structural elements conducive to stronger learning and development. Experience in… Continue reading On Teaching Writing
Teachers are Professionals
When we enter into the teaching world, we are usually aware of the difficulties that come along with it. The long hours, the low wages, the tough conversations, and the emotional toll it can take. This is fairly well publicized, and many of us know it’s part of the job. What some of us don’t… Continue reading Teachers are Professionals
On Homework
The past few years, this topic has undergone a barrage of scrutiny. From the arguments of it being absolutely necessary for a student’s development, to the ones reviewing the number of hours students spend at school each day, it’s a hotly contested issue. Then there’s the consideration of including it in an overall grade, or… Continue reading On Homework
On grades
Grading has gone through a lot in the past decade. It’s been through a massive overhaul, coming out the other side looking quite different from when it began. Some of the changes, necessary ones in my opinion, are finally beginning to become commonplace in our practice. They are starting to take hold. I’ve written previously… Continue reading On grades
Ready-Made Curricula
Teacher autonomy is a subject I’ve spoken at great length about. I feel incredibly fortunate to work in a district that values our professionalism so highly, and places such confidence in its teachers to make instructional decisions. While at times it’s very demanding and can be a lot of work, I would rather have this… Continue reading Ready-Made Curricula
