The Dylann Roofs I Have Known
In 1996, I assigned my class to read an essay by an African-American author and came face to face with racist resistance. When I saw the arrest of…
9 Minutes
The Connection Between Real Life and "New Math"
I teach high school math, and I know the public has a love-hate relationship with it. This relationship is long overdue for therapy: integrated math…
10 Minutes
Strategic Professional Development
Summers are often filled with professional development workshops. Guest blogger Alice Smith suggests ways for teachers of teachers to make sure they…
7 Minutes
Summer Cleaning: Eliminating Bad Habits One at a Time
Due to the frenzy and fragmentation of the school day and year—after an appropriate, gentle and well-earned transition—summer is the best time to…
7 Minutes
#charlestonchurchshooting
For the past few weeks, I've been consumed by stories of the Charleston shooting and conversations about race in America and symbols of hate and the…
6 Minutes
Downshifting
As a 24-year veteran of teaching, a person would think I have no trouble transitioning from the school year routines to summer. However, every year,…
4 Minutes
How Can We Help All Students Pass The Marshmallow Test?
Recently I read Walter Mischel’s The Marshmallow Test. As a mother, Mischel’s insight on the nature versus nurture debate was compelling. As a woman…
12 Minutes
5 Things Principals Can Do Differently Next School Year
From her point of view, English language arts teacher Annette Christiansen tells principals what they can do in order to improve next year's learning…
9 Minutes
Saying Goodbye to the #sugarkills Gang
Three years ago, the kids in my sixth grade classroom were wrestling with the implications of the New York City soda ban. While they understood the…
5 Minutes
Teaching Hope: The Connection between Life Expectancy and Academic Success
When I queried my sentences on 100 "life inventory" questions ranging from "Who would be happy for you if you won a million dollars?" to "Why do you…
7 Minutes