Dream vs. Reality: The First Day of School
I have dreamed of this moment for seven years. A fantasy from 11th grade still replays itself in my mind with crystalline clarity: My first day of school as a…
Embracing Failure
I am a big fan of mistake making. Well, not the making of the mistakes part so much but of the learning from mistakes, expecting mistakes, embracing mistakes. What if…
4 Ways You Can Take Action As A Teacher
As a teacher I want action. As a teacher I want to be able to tell my students that they are safe at school. I also want to tell my…
Teaching is Political
In teacher education programs, we have a responsibility to prepare future teachers for the civic profession of education. For me, this means registering students to vote in my classes, advocating…
What Teachers Want: A Call To Arm
There are many facets to the current debate over gun control, but a lot of focus has fallen on two extremes. One extreme is a call to ban all guns.…
What Does It Mean To Be Kindergarten Ready?
When it comes to young children going to school, we talk a lot about “readiness.” But what does that even mean? I’ll just get down to it. Very broadly speaking,…