Governor Kathy Hochul has unveiled a comprehensive initiative, the ‘Back to Basics’ plan, to boost reading proficiency in New York and address the critical need for foundational skills in students. This proposal, a component of her 2024 State of the State address, focuses on transitioning the state’s education system to evidence-based best practices. In an […]
Pedagogy
Posted inPedagogy
The Building Blocks for Strong Middle and High School Writers
It was year five in my teaching career, and our principal called us in to bemoan our writing scores from the previous year. It was all the same buzzwords (fidelity, accountability, etc.), and I remember asking a question that changed my teaching beliefs. “If we want kids to be better writers, why aren’t we making […]
Posted inLiteracy
Eleventh-Grade Summer Reading List for Students
As educators, we are responsible for cultivating an inclusive learning environment that values and celebrates diversity. One powerful way to achieve this is by providing students with a diverse reading list that exposes them to different cultures, experiences, and perspectives. Here is a reading list specifically curated for your eleventh-grade summer reading list. Each book […]
Posted inProfessional Development
Co-creational professional development is not just another fad for teachers
When teachers are told they need professional development, it often creates negative emotions that are not addressed by leadership. To teachers, professional development is commonly seen as a time investment that does not address day-to-day job challenges. Co-creational professional development presents a unique opportunity for teachers to have a voice in the creation of their […]
Posted inPedagogy
Freshen Up Your National Poetry Month Lessons with These New Releases
Have you signed up for The Educator’s Room Newsletter? Click here and support independent journalism! As an English language arts teacher of many, many years, poetry has always been one of my favorite subjects to teach my students. Poetry brings out the best in students’ language abilities and challenges them to write in a way […]
Posted inOpinion
Native American Deaf History is American Deaf History
Have you signed up for The Educator’s Room Newsletter? Click here and support independent journalism! As we celebrate another Deaf History Month, I am reflecting on the excitement I felt experiencing American Sign Language (ASL) highlighted in Super Bowl LVII. The unique and creative rendition of the “Star Spangled Banner” by Troy Kotsur, the first […]
Posted inPedagogy
Finding Jungles in the City
Sparking Scientific Curiosity Through Relevance One of the problems with STEM education in the United States is its accessibility. Specifically, the inaccessibility gap between students from well-resourced schools and those without. Having AP course offerings, funding for lab materials, access to structured readiness programs, and even something as simple as an Algebra II class can […]
Posted inPedagogy
Hang Up the Tattle Phone
Have you signed up for The Educator’s Room Daily Newsletter? Click here and support independent journalism! We never thought we’d be Instagram teachers. But here we are, watching our ideas spread on online forums. Social media has given educators an accessible and user-friendly platform to share thoughts about all things education. Without proper funding, professional […]