Little grey boxes with students’ names fill my screen four and a half hours a day. Maybe a few brave souls flip on their cameras for four and a half seconds a day if I am lucky. These little grey
Read MoreStudents Are Always Watching
During recess duty the other day, I started to climb the monkey bars. I felt particularly excited and energetic that day, so I started to do some pull-ups as well. Within a minute, nearly every 2nd grader was trying both.
Read MoreWhy I Chose to Maintain my National Board Certification During a Pandemic
I try to remember to look at the small pupil of the laptop camera instead of the grid of faceless names before me as I smile, wave and say hello. I am collaborating with a colleague to teach Hamlet to
Read MoreOn the Ideal and the Practical
I have had the same personal email account since 2006. During that time I attended two universities — each with their own email — and lived without internet for 27 months in a yurt in Mongolia. These events, coupled with
Read MoreA House Divided
“A house divided against itself, cannot stand.” When Lincoln uttered this quote in his famous “House Divided” speech, it wasn’t the first time the sentiment had been expressed. Variations of the quote and the idea behind it are scattered throughout
Read MoreFebruary: Black History Month 2021
In the voice of Bishop T.D. Jakes, “Get Ready! Get Ready! Get Ready!” February is Black History Month, and we all know that Black history is American history. Whether you are teaching online, in-person, or hybrid, the events of 2020
Read MoreCo-teaching Online
I think we probably all remember that one class we all took in our teacher training that talked about the various models of co-teaching. After that you head off into the real world where you may or may not actually
Read MoreUndeveloped Thoughts
The story goes that when my dad went away to college, he was going to study economics. On his first trip home, he told my grandfather that economic concepts bounce off his head like billiard balls and that he was
Read More“Keep Moving”
In August of 2016, I made the choice to “come home” after 7 years in Orlando, Florida. I crammed what I could into a Honda Civic, gave away my remaining IKEA furniture, and began a solo mission driving across the
Read MoreA Civics Teacher Laments
I spent almost all of my teaching career as a civics teacher, which is the best job ever. Students in their last year of high school are prepared to take that last social studies class and say goodbye to high
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