Category: Blog

  • Top 12 Global Teacher Blogger Discussion: April

    “How do you balance preparation for high stakes assessments with teaching and learning in your classroom?” Guest blogger: Karyn McWhirter As a teacher of Advanced Placement students and students preparing to be in Advance Placement classes, I may have a different relationship with high stakes testing than many other educators. Since a central goal for…

  • How to Put Yourself First and Still Love Someone

    By guest blogger: Thomas Fitzgerald I will start with two truths: You will never be able to meet all of the needs of a single person, and no single person will be able to meet all of your needs. You should not view these statements in the negative; they are only meant to make you pause…

  • Uncommon Core: book review by Karyn McWhirter

    “Uncommon Core: 25 Ways to Help Your Child Succeed In a Cookie Cutter Educational System is a down to earth guide to helping young people develop the life skills they need for success in school, the work place, and in their personal relationships. As a high school teacher, I see the impact of students’ communication skills…

  • Anxiety’s Guide to Public Speaking

    By guest blogger: Mirade Leigh           Some people have no problem speaking publicly. They can get up in front of a group of people, large or small, with confidence, without breaking a sweat; their hands do not shake; their face will not flush; they do not so much as stutter. If you are one of…

  • Opt-out Letter 2015

    March 23, 2015 Dear New Hampshire School District, I am refusing to allow my child, Ian Hawkins, to take Smarter Balanced assessment, the Science NECAP, or any other state standardized tests. I believe that my child’s educational progress can best be measured using his daily school work and regular classroom testing. According to the U.S…

  • Top 12 Global Teacher Blogger Discussion: March

    “What are the biggest mistakes teachers make when integrating technology into the classroom?” The biggest mistake teachers make is thinking that the technology is more important than the lesson. No matter what teachers use in the classroom, the goal has to be to help students understand concepts and to move them forward on their educational…

  • Top 12 Global Teacher Blogger Discussion: February

    “What will be the most significant classroom innovation in the next 10 years?” The tide is turning—Educators, parents, and even some government officials realize that the attempt to mass-produce educated children is not working. The biggest innovation in the classroom will come in the roles of teachers and students. If we start with the end…

  • Hope Found: Lessons from The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

    I have a confession to make: I’m suffering. I say this not to elicit sympathy; I just want to be truthful. So please don’t think I need a pep talk, want attention, or that I’m just trying to bring other people down. My truth may not be other people’s reality, but I think there may…

  • Picking Favorites

    I have had students in high school accuse me of picking favorites. At that age, it’s understandable that they would have difficulties with the way the world works. They are still young and look at how unfair everything is–a fact they can’t seem to accept. Therefore, when they see a teacher showing perceived favoritism to someone, they…

  • 10 Things I Learned as a New Adjunct Teacher

    This semester I taught two college composition classes at a community college. I started with 23 students in one class and 24 students in the other. Halfway into the semester, 7 students out of 47 just stopped coming to class. At the end of the semester, 5 students out of 47 earned A’s; 23 students…