When I first started teaching in 2009, I was surprised by something that was missing from my classroom: We did not have any textbooks for the courses that I was supposed to teach. For the next 4 years, I worked hard handcrafting all of the...
I teach 8th grade and I am 24. When I started in the classroom two years ago, I was not even a decade older than my students. Responses to new, young teachers can be mildly amusing, like when field trip docents ask where the teacher...
I have had more than my share of memorable moments as a kindergarten teacher, but one sticks out in particular, when I helped open a small charter school several years ago. While it was wonderful to help realize the vision of the school’s founder, she...
In my classroom, a poster with a map of North America states “we are not alone.” Every day, I remind my students that they are, in fact, “not alone in the world,” meaning they are a part of a global community. I frequently encourage my...
I’m the fourth child in a family of six, and as my family grew and changed, we found ourselves making several moves across the state of Maryland. I was blessed to attend some very high quality private schools, but I also had my experience with...
Jeff Ibsen, West Hartford, Connecticut, is a retired middle school teacher, corporate labor relations and human resources manager, and former head of investigations for the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities. In Connecticut, the recent rollout of the Common Core State Standards has engendered much...
When Steven Foster penned the words “The Sun Shines Bright on My Old Kentucky Home…” I am sure he had no idea how powerful a message he would be sending us in today’s time. My beloved Kentucky has been known for decades for excellence in...
This spring, the Next Generation of Science Standards (NGSS) was released. This suite of science standards is being discussed, considered and adopted across the country. Some states will adopt NGSS in its entirety, others in parts and some not at all. The Common Core for State...
Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water" is a classic. When I think about today's bridge over troubled water, I think about how prepared I am to implement the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). I think about how to bridge Common Core State Standards and...
Commonalities Empower Teaching Professionals to Identify, Echo and Amplify Success While much attention and support are properly directed at teacher evaluation reform efforts across states, the time is here to identify the “why” and the “so what.” I write to focus on the “so what,” but...