A few years ago, I was invited to join a group of 5 other secondary ELA teachers and 2 principle … More
Tag: educational reform
On the Path to Restorative Restart
Upon listening to the podcast of my last post’s discussion, I realized I focused on just part of the path … More
Learning is an Open Door
In October of 2020, I was invited to contribute a chapter to a book entitled, “Everyday Advocacy” by Dr. Cathy … More
MAKEing Student Voice Heard through Political Art
“Children should be seen not heard.” How many of us feel like this was the mantra when growing up? In … More
From Dreams to Details: Invitation to Lead
It’s a wonderfully synergistic day. One where I attempted to escape finding the baby in the King Cake but found … More
More than a Number: Barry Lane’s Musical Response to Students and High Stakes Testing
Wow! I have been doing so much thinking about the effects of too much emphasis on testing on students. I know. So many people have discussed it. So many more people will discuss it. But, it doesn’t hurt to continue this important discourse. These …
Deprogramming: How can I encourage change and reflection on gender issues in my classroom?
(Response to Romance in the Classroom: Inviting Discourse on Gender and Power by Diane Waff) I could not agree more with the need for discussing and responding to gender dynamics in the classroom. I’ve known for a long time about the disproportion…
Digital Learning Day: A Call to Action
Sitting at a district meeting yesterday, I heard more of an all too widespread and alarming discussion. “Our students aren’t interested in learning like we were.” “The kids today are distracted by gadgets. They would rather text than talk.” “Our k…
Changing Education Paradigms
So what have you all been doing during this week of professional development and teacher preparation? Well, I have to say this has been the best week of PD yet. It’s probably because it’s all about educational reform, why it’s necessary, and what …
Questioning Magnets
I have had the pleasure of working with almost half of our incoming Freshman class this week during our campus’ Early Start program. These kids were dynamite! So energetic. So enthusiastic. For the most part, they seemed to know that high school m…