I’ve got teaching on the brain lately. Mostly because that’s what I do and think about all day, but also because it’s the time of the year when the profession starts to encompass every facet of our lives as we endure the stress of standardized tests and anxiously await the next holiday break. It’s usually […]
Education
Classroom Rules That Should Be Obvious But Are Apparently NOT
[nextpage title=”Page 1″ ] It’s that time of the school year when tensions are high. In the North, it’s freezing cold, people are in dire need of Vitamin D, our skin is so dry it’s practically flaking off, and we can’t bear to think about the remaining 2 months of winter ahead. And students […]
How Some Educators are Making Teaching Obsolete (and What They Can Do to Change That)
Just today, a colleague mentioned the importance of teachers inspiring students in addition to imparting them with knowledge. It seems like such an obvious aspect of the profession. Unfortunately, not all teachers feel this is part of their job descriptions. Some believe their responsibility is merely to present content to students, and it’s up to […]
11 Mistakes New Teachers Can’t Afford to Make
Teaching is a stressful and sometimes emotionally draining profession whether one’s in her 5th year or her 25th, but it’s especially hard on those new to the job. The first few years are taxing as one learns how to plan curriculum, provide feedback, and manage a classroom all on one’s own. Because I know all […]
Teaching Kids About Discrimination and Equality: Thoughts from a Midwestern White Woman
The other day at dinner, Alister, 5, turned to me and said, “Mommy, guess what? I learned about the guy who made everything fair today.” I stared at him, puzzled. “Which guy is that?” “The guy who made it so dark skinned people can do the same things as white people.” Ahhh. Dr. King. “You […]
So You Think You Can Teach?
And teach well? Thinking about studying to become a teacher? Contemplating switching careers? Believe teachers are just glorified babysitters? If any of these applies to you, read on to see if you really have what it takes to make it in this profession. Requirement 1: Content Knowledge This one is obvious and probably the only […]
What Teachers REALLY Think and Feel
There’s this Tumblr blog out there called Teacher Thought Bubble, and it’s HILARIOUS. If you haven’t seen it, you should totally give it a look-see. Make sure you’re not sipping on something when you load the site, though, because it’ll just come right back out your nose. Yeah. It’s that funny. Because so many of […]
To The Students I Had My First Year Teaching, I’m Sorry.
To the students I had my first year teaching, I’m sorry. I’m sorry I didn’t spend more time getting to know who you are outside of the classroom. You see, in college, they made a really big deal about not getting too chummy with students for fear of crossing lines, especially because we would be […]