Category : “Social Issues”

Hungry Students

May 9, 2013John Spencer Social Issues

"Mr. Spencer, we don't have enough breakfasts for the whole class," a kid complains. I double-check the numbers. Zero absent on Cocoa Puffs day, which means that unlike yogurt day, they're all having breakfast.  A boy pulls me aside and

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It’s Complicated

March 12, 2013Eve Rifkin Education, Education Policy, Social Issues

The other day I was listening to a news program on the radio about national parks. The scientist on the show suggested that restrictive boundaries around park lands are not actually good for wildlife. Animals need corridors. If a particular species

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Half Empty or Half Full

March 12, 2013Jen Robinson Education, Education Policy, Parent Involvment, Social Issues, Teacher Leadership

I recently read a post on Facebook… A psychologist walked around a room while teaching stress management to an audience. As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they’d be asked the “half empty or half full” question. Instead,

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The Tassel’s Not a Hassle*

January 6, 2013Amethyst Hinton Sainz Current Affairs, Education, Education Policy, Life in the Classroom, Literacy, Social Issues

Sometimes it is frighteningly transparent who is profiting from access to our schools.

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A Whole New Mind

August 16, 2012Eve Rifkin Education, Life in the Classroom, Mentoring, Social Issues

I love the beginning of a new school year. Teachers are excited, kids are taller, and I get that feeling that this will be the year that I will finally figure out the secret to helping all kids meet their

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Who are We Protecting?

August 10, 2012Amethyst Hinton Sainz Education, Education Policy, Life in the Classroom, Professional Development, Social Issues

I explore what happens to individual teachers and students when even the best policies are not given the resources they need to function as intended, using the example of mandatory reporting laws.

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Bully: Will it Get Better? Part 2

June 3, 2012Donnie Dicus Current Affairs, Elementary, Life in the Classroom, Parent Involvment, Social Issues

Will bullying ever go away? Probably not. Will things get better for those being bullied? Yes, it will but it won't happen on its own. We have to empower children on how to handle bullies and be there to help

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Bullying: A Life Skill?

May 20, 2012Mike Lee Education, Elementary, Social Issues

Make no mistake, bullying is a legitimate problem, and many adults are doing their best to counter the culture I describe here, but few reading this will identify themselves as contributors to the problem. Because, roughly 80% of us believe we’re better than average.

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Swan Song

May 16, 2012Alaina Adams Education, Education Policy, Elementary, Life in the Classroom, Literacy, Mentoring, National Board Certification, Parent Involvment, Professional Development, Social Issues, Teacher Leadership

Every year, during Teacher Appreciation week (last week), one of our Spanish teachers invites students to write a thank-you letter in Spanish (with an English translation) to give to one teacher. Every year, I get a few of these letters

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Teacher Eval: Hunger Games Style

April 2, 2012Alaina Adams Assessment, Education, Elementary, Games, Life in the Classroom, Literacy, Mathematics, Mentoring, National Board Certification, Parent Involvment, Professional Development, Social Issues, Sports, Teacher Leadership

Yes, the geeky-English teacher that I am has jumped all over The Hunger Games craze. Yes, I’ve coerced all of my students into buying the book to use in class, most of us have seen the movie, plan to blog

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