A little background: As a teacher I am constantly reflecting and remembering what it was like for me to be a learner and to be in the shoes my students are currently in. When I look back on my life as a student there are many points that stand out […]
“I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts.” (Credited to Abraham Lincoln) My concern with the digital age is how to distinguish truth from hoax on the internet, […]
Students sat at their desk on the first day of class and were welcomed to the course named at the top of their syllabus: SUDA Strategic English- Developing Literacy Skills for Navigating & Changing our World. For many, there were already mixed feelings about having to be in a Strategic […]
The Problem It is Spring 2013. In my 11th grade English classes at Castlemont High School, students are proposing their topics for their Junior Research Project. The 11th grade team is proud of this new initiative–designed to help students prepare and practice for their ever-looming Senior Project the following year. […]
When I’m asked what I teach, and I respond, “California History,” the responses from fellow teachers and parents are often excitement and curiosity. However, the responses from 9th grade students in my California Studies classes at Oakland Technical High are much different. They range from groans accompanied by “We’ve done […]
Can discussing our own questions inspire higher investment in our writing and ultimately inspire higher investment in particular issues? Context Towards the end of last school year in 2013, one of my English 3 students wrote, “my favorite lesson was when we read about Janie & Tea Cake’s love” referring […]
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As a writing teacher, I found that many students were adept at speaking, but struggled with writing. Class discussions unearthed interesting ideas, but many of the papers I graded the previous year either parroted my own analysis or came dangerously close to plagiarism. My initial inquiry was: Does having a […]
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Context, Goals, and Lessons I teach Eleventh Grade U.S. History and Tenth Grade World History at Oakland Technical High School. Our school now has over 2,000 students. My classes are generally about 32 students by the end of the first month. I have a relatively small classroom, but know the […]