What is it about the current generation of kids that prompts them to say exactly what’s on their mind, and to express exactly what they are feeling?
Here are three recent examples “from the trenches:”
1. Precious #1: Last Friday afternoon, the seventh graders had just returned from an overnight science field trip. I monitor the [...]
I had a provocative albeit enlightening conversation recently with my good friend and colleague, MJ.. We were chatting casually over lunch. Yes; I took a risk and left my classroom. We chatted about TOCs being role models - not just for students of color, but also for majority students - at a predominately White independent [...]
Today, April 20th, marks the 8th anniversary of the Columbine High School massacre.
As we comemmorate this tragedy, I pose the following questions for your consideration:
Has Columbine…
…changed the culture of our schools. i.e. made our schools safer physically and emotionally?
…led to more effective parenting?
…enabled youth to become better equipped to manage their emotions, and to cope [...]
For the first time in 13 years of teaching, I feel unsafe in my classroom and on my school’s campus.
Perhaps my sensitivities are heightened given the verbal altercation with a student on last Friday, combined with the horrific events at Virginia Tech on Monday morning. People today, students and adults alike, have a very under-developed [...]
…it was my birthday! Woohoo!
I was greeted by e-cards from two friends when I opened my email early on Wednesday morning. I had two very nice classes with my eighth grade Spanish 1 students, and a successful teaching observation, even though the lesson did not go exactly as planned. I will blog about that another [...]
After having an especially nice week (it was my birthday on Wednesday), I suffered a major disappointment on Friday afternoon. A student for whom I had a lot of admiration and respect, and who I believed had a lot of admiration and respect for me, gave me a face full of attitude. At about 3:15 [...]
Today marks the 39th anniversary of the assassination of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. My mother remembers the riots which ensued in the aftermath, and how a container of teargas crashed through the plate glass picture window in the living room of the apartment where we were living at the time. Mom recalled [...]
Yesterday, I think for the first time I was really able to empathize with my students on a deeply personal level.
Unlike my dear older brother, I am not a saver. Although I make fairly decent money, I never seem to have any. I like to buy things - for myself, for my home, and for [...]
