Teachers at predominantly white schools, especially those in conservative communities, may be reluctant to discuss race in the classroom. However, it is precisely in these communities that conversations about how race, ethnicity, and other social identities are critical for broadening students worldview. Here are some ideas on how to have these conversations based on a
The steady stream of developments in education technology along with the books and blogs touting the newest, most student-centered methods of teaching makes it difficult to discern fads from true instructional innovations. Technology should shift how students learn. However, without appropriate professional development teachers will be overwhelmed by the speed with which technology changes or merely replicate traditional teaching
The recent election and the growing popularity of social media have created new urgency in the battles English and Social Studies teachers along with Librarians are fighting constantly—combating fake news. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yv6GvBkBZVk] A powerful resource that could help in this effort is www.checkology.or. Although the paid version offers teachers more features for monitoring student progress,
As a son of immigrants, I have lived the exceptional opportunities America provides. As a Social Studies teacher, I have praised the uniqueness of the 240 year democratic experiment that is America. On Election Day, November 8, 2016 I began to question my faith in America. My questions soon turned to self-doubt as to whether I had
One of the best resources on project based learning is from the Buck Institute of Education (BIE) who, through years of research and experience, have established the gold standard for project based learning (PBL). In this post, I will compare the characteristics of effective PBL from the BIE with the projects my students and I have completed in