Last night, students at Joliet Central – the high school where I work – held the first annual Showcase for Peace: Joliet students creatively expressing their stance on gun violence. We had students submit poetry, essays, stories, songs, artwork, and… Read more ›
Most of you all have been around here for a while, so you already know about my side business and venture to provide a yearly, $1,000 scholarship for a girl in need at the school where I teach. But I… Read more ›
Ever since the Parkland shooting, I have been feeling progressively worse. I’m not really sure how to describe it, but it started with a feeling like someone was standing on my chest. Then, it was almost like a balloon had… Read more ›
I am a teacher. So is my husband. It probably won’t surprise you that, between the two of us, we’ve been through three actual lockdowns. Not drills. Actual, bonafide, real-life, doors-locked, no-one-knows-what-is-going-on, saying-goodbyes-just-in-case lockdowns. One for Tim at his previous school.… Read more ›
I’m over at Teaching Tolerance talking about ways teachers can talk about the recent sexual harassment allegations saturating the media: If the conversation about sexual harassment and assault doesn’t come up organically, there are a number of ways to incorporate… Read more ›
I was driving to work this morning, listening to WBEZ (like I do most days), trying not to cry (like I do most days). But my ears perked up when I heard something about a school in Joliet. Now, I… Read more ›
I’m over at We Are Teachers this week, talking about nine women of color in literature that all high school students should be reading: 1. Sethe from Beloved Beloved by Toni Morrison is an unforgettable novel about Sethe, a woman who… Read more ›
I have a student who declines to stand for the Pledge of Allegience. She takes issue with the phrase “with liberty and justice for all,” because it is not “for all” in her view. I asked her about it once.… Read more ›
It’s been a while, but I’m trying to get back into the writing game. This post at Teaching Tolerance is a great way to start – talking all about how to celebrate and honor Day of the Girl, which is… Read more ›
I’m a little late on this one, but I have a new post up at Teaching Tolerance about how to encourage girls to stay in STEM fields: This might seem like a no-brainer, but one of the most important things… Read more ›
Here’s a little levity for your Wednesday evening. My students started today by taking notes on symbolism. I’m sure they all already knew what symbolism is, but repetition is always good. Me: Can anyone give me a real-life example of… Read more ›
Last year, our school was slated to host the Conference speech tournament. It was the head coach’s first year in the position, and I was becoming known at our school for being insanely organized and really good at running tournaments.… Read more ›
I’m over at the Teaching Tolerance blog today helping to publicize my magazine article, talking about privilege: Once they had the language to talk about privilege, I decided to take it a step further. I asked them what other kinds… Read more ›
To the aforementioned students: You are, at this very moment, coming of age. It makes sense, then, why you would identify so much with the Holden Caulfields and Stephen Dedaluses of our literature class. You are mostly males between the… Read more ›
Ever year, like clockwork, the end of September hits. Its cool breezes and shorter days are welcomed after a hot, long summer like a literal breath of fresh air. Feeling exhausted after a long day spent teaching, disciplining, grading, mothering,… Read more ›
Creating a safe space in your classroom is vital for class discussions. If students don’t feel as if they are accepted in the classroom, they probably won’t want to share their views and opinions with the class, either. After all,… Read more ›
I’m over at Teaching Tolerance today talking about my own classroom management practices: When Teaching Tolerance hit my desk in the spring of last year, then, I was looking for something—anything—to help me get back on track. The information on the school-to-prison… Read more ›
I’ve been on The Guardian twice in the past few weeks! First, I was talking about keeping guns out of my classroom: We don’t need more guns in schools. We need more empathy and compassion. We need to make dealing… Read more ›
Trigger warning for discussions of statutory rape. Labor Day weekend. For some, it is the last weekend before school starts up again, filled with one last BBQ and pool party before hitting the books. For others like Tim and me,… Read more ›
I think you all probably know by now that I am very conscious about gender in almost every aspect of my life. I mean, I am the type of teacher that prefers to call a group of students “y’all” because… Read more ›