Traveling the World Through Others
Students who want to start the book club came by to visit me yesterday. They are really excited. They recommended we go to the public library to meet. They suggested this may make it a little less scandalous (my words, not theirs). I agreed, but I don’t think they realize that my location won’t really…
Read More
I am moving forward with our book club, but I have contacted other teachers hoping they will join me. Three others have agreed, but after my conversation with my principal, I thought I would at least be honest about the possible ramifications. We have a meeting scheduled for tomorrow. I sent a cryptic email just…
Read More
Yeah, I know. A lot of things are hard. Look, I am a product of the 90s. This was the Grunge Era; the time to learn that Global Warming was killing the planet, and AIDS was affecting everyone. My school set three entire school days aside to teach us about AIDS. That’s how intense it…
Read More
If you read my blog for the last two years, you will know I have contemplated leaving teaching. You would have read all about how miserable I have been and how hard it has been. These last two years took a tremendous toll. It was not just me. There is now a considerable teacher shortage…
Read More
Despite what many content area teachers believe, it is really important to teach reading strategies in their content area. Sixty percent of US high school students are performing “basic” or “below basic” on standardized state tests. This is unacceptable, but it is nothing new. US students have been scoring this low in reading for years.…
Read More
“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” – William A. Ward Every student who is training to be a teacher is asked to write about your favorite teacher. This rather creative assignment is often followed by a similar one that asks you to write about your…
Read More
I have seen a lot recently about teachers not being okay. This is absolutely true, but I think it is overshadowing the struggles of our students, our children, during this time. I am a teacher in a public school in a very wealthy district. The vast majority of my students are motivated, well-behaved, and “capable”…
Read More
When I first broached the idea of going to school for teaching, my father looked me dead in the eyes and said, “Absolutely not. I will not pay for college if you are going to be a teacher.” My father was a machinist at the Naval Ship Yard in Philadelphia from the time he was…
Read More
Miracles often show up in literature. Characters ask for them. Sometimes they are just divinely given to characters who may or may not be deserving. They are small or large acts of mercy bestowed by a benevolent god or an understanding universe. But where do they really come from? Where does one go or whom…
Read More
Right before the Thanksgiving holiday, my building had an in-service training where they talked about trust. My school is working on creating better relationships between students and teachers. We are being asked to understand student diversity and respect students. It is important work, and the entire event started by asking us about trust. First, we…
Read More
The Wandering Empath 