Teaching can pretty quickly turn you into a basket case. Consider a list of responsibilities — of things that we “have to do” — that our colleague Lynsay Fabio, a secondary English teacher, came up with recently. (Note: A potential side effect of reading this list is shortness of breath.) Read the class novel myself, […]
Why I Don’t Write Much About Large-Scale Teaching Reform and Policy Change
I received a message recently that speaks to a tension I’ve felt for some time as a writer. I will call the writer Jonathan, as this is the pseudonym he preferred: Dave, I love your stuff and I really enjoyed reading [your post “Tough Minds, Tender Hearts.”] I totally buy what you’re saying here, and […]
The Time Warp Scenario: How to Get Unstuck On Big Projects
Whether you’re planning a unit or prepping to lead PD or preparing for a job interview or writing a book proposal or drafting a speech, if you’re like me, you’ll inevitably run into moments where you get stuck. What I’m talking about are those times when the internal dialogue is like this: “AHHHH! I’M GOING […]
Maybe It’s Time for a Diet
When Tracy DiNunzio was born, her vertebrae didn’t form around her spinal cord. Her spina bifida meant a childhood characterized not by the rambling around and bumps and scrapes that my kids experience, but rather by the pain and surgeries that her condition required. DiNunzio recalls that during this time, she “tried complaining and being […]
Tough Minds, Tender Hearts
I’ve been thinking lately about prioritization. Many teachers who subscribe to this blog — colleagues like you — write about how little time they have, how overwhelmed they are, how difficult it is to do all they’re expected to do. I don’t just read their frustrations — I feel them. And it especially pains me […]