If you’re like me, you have grown tired of seeing the same scenario playing out over and over again in your math class. A student who is obviously struggling to grasp a new concept blurts out the question: “why do we have to learn this anyway?.” This question is usually immediately followed by the statement: … More The Need for Authenticity In Math Class
It’s been two years since the #blacklivesmatter movement appeared after the acquittal of George Zimmerman for the unjust murder of Trayvon Martin. In that same time, the media began to cast a more focused spotlight on race relations in this country. The spotlight only served to display what many already knew was happening in this … More To Other White Folks: Why the #blacklivesmatter Movement Matters
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” This is perhaps one of the most well-known phrases in the English language. Although this phrase is something that most … More In America, Created Equal Doesn’t Equate to Equal Educational Opportunity
A few months ago, I received an email from one of the coordinators of the Center for Teaching Quality (CTQ). The e-mail was an invitation to a “Storyteller’s Retreat.” I have been working for the past year to increase my voice and using the power of my story to begin to inspire and transform the … More Reflecting: CTQ StoryTeller’s Retreat
A week ago, our country watched in awe at the deadly shooting that took place in Orlando. The shooting was the largest mass-shooting in our nation’s modern history. It was not only an assault on the LGBT community, but on our country as a whole. Some of us sat speechless and shocked, while others strained … More Orlando: Creating Space for Open Conversation
I was at the gym the other day and was talking with a few teachers who just ended their school year. Rather than the expected excitement that comes with having a few months of peace and quiet so that you can recharge the engines and start it all over again, what I heard was a … More I’m Not Going Anywhere
Throughout the past week, I have been consistently reminded of the largeness of the world’s problems— whether they be the impending effects of global climate change, the consistent turmoil in the middle east, or the inequity of education in this country. It is difficult to reconcile how insignificant and powerless we can feel in the … More Teacher to Student Relationships: Building until the End
A few years back, I was talking with one of my students. Somehow the conversation led to me asking what people in his neighborhood thought of our school. Very emphatically he exclaimed: “Nobody in my neighborhood knows about this school. This school’s for white people.” I learned then that if you wanted to know about … More Want to Know How Your School Handles Equity and Diversity?: Just Ask The Students
This past weekend I was fortunate enough to be able to attend the Teach to Lead Summit in New Orleans. The summit was set up in a format to create a space for emerging teacher leaders to do the tough work that comes with creating a plan to move a vision forward. The challenges and … More Teach to Lead, New Orleans
The alarm clock has been ringing for 30 minutes and I’m still not ready to get myself out of bed and go to work. This is the week of PSSA’s— hours devoid of any real academic stimulation. The real lesson being learned: some bureaucrat who has less knowledge about education has more power to tell … More Testing Our Nation’s Children Out of Learning
While I was thumbing through the intermingled stream of information as it shows up on the web, I came across an article that was proposing a different approach to communication with parents. The post itself was rather deplete of any new ideas on how to build a stronger bridge between parents and schools. What I … More Engaging Parents
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