Category: Teaching Experience

Introduction  My learning experiences from childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood have shaped my approach to teaching today.  These learning experiences have shown me great examples of what to do, and of what not to do when considering how to conduct assessment of student performance and achievement in my own classroom.  As a result of a…

Special Education has always been a second fiddle in the Educational System.  Thus, as a special educator, I have to contribute to show that special educators are equally important staff as well as the general educators and other specialists in contributing to the success of each learner and in building the foundation in the Educational…

  A teachable moment is a point in time that there is an opportunity for a teacher, parent, or mentor to share a piece of knowledge with their student.  They are a point in time when due to circumstances that are not planned, the student is most receptive to learning a particular lesson. Teachable moments…

  Our students are drowning. They are no longer students. Rather, they are test taking robots. Learn this. Memorize that. Sit up straight. Do your homework. Pass the test. Do not fail. Elementary students are put under more stress than ever with the world becoming as competitive as it is. Not only are these students…

“I hate this stupid job!”  I cursed after my elementary students left the classroom. It was the end of another agonizing day at work.  The children had brutally taken advantage of me – just like they had the day before, and the day before that, and the day before that.  I’d been a schoolteacher for…

  I thought my second grade educator was a heavenly attendant. She had long, sandy blonde hair and a grin for everybody. What’s more, she had the best name we had ever heard: Miss Jendulana (maintained “Jen”). We knew enough about letters to think, what is that “Jen” doing there? In her classroom, dialect was…

  Imagine a school where teaching is considered to be a profession rather than a trade. The role of teachers in a child’s education — and in American culture — has fundamentally changed. Teaching differs from the old “show-and-tell” practices as much as modern medical techniques differ from practices such as applying leeches and bloodletting….

  Who were your favorite teachers? If I asked you to name your favorite teachers from kindergarten through graduate school, it would be easy to answer, wouldn’t it? It would also be an enjoyable question to answer because it would bring back so many fond memories of wonderful people who’ve touched both your personal life…

  Introverts. Who are they and how do we ensure they thrive in active learning classrooms? If you have ever come to the midterm point of the semester and graded a stellar paper of a student whose name you don’t recognize and who has never raised her hand in class, you may have just identified…

  What makes a great teacher? Teaching is one of the most complicated jobs today. It demands broad knowledge of subject matter, curriculum, and standards; enthusiasm, a caring attitude, and a love of learning; knowledge of discipline and classroom management techniques; and a desire to make a difference in the lives of young people. With…