Online learning is "the thing” now. With many governors declaring Stay-at-Home Orders, it is now safe to say that school systems aren’t returning to finish out the school year, well at least not in a physical building; however, instruction via platforms as Google Meet, Zoom, GoToMeeting, Blackboard, Screencastify, and many others are occurring daily.

Every year during the winter months, students (and teachers) eagerly await the announcement of school closures because of snow. This year, although some waited, the closures never came for many. However, something else came that was grander and scarier that has forced school closings across the nation, and chances of returning this school year look slim. The coronavirus, also referred to as COVID19, has taken over the world. How did a wish to miss just a couple of days of school turn into students missing weeks and possibly months of learning? (Have you ever heard the saying be careful what you ask for because you just might get it?). Well, this is it, personified! Most importantly, the questions started to pour in. How are students going to learn? How do I teach my students when they aren’t physically in the classroom? What will become of the learning progression of my students? How will this epidemic impact the future of students everywhere?

Ever sat in a boring faculty meeting or professional development workshop? I’ve had more than my fair share. I can remember how I felt in that very moment but what I don’t recall is what the presenter was saying even if the information was important. Imagine how students feel day after day in a boring class. Are you a teacher who struggles from time to time with engaging your students?

I love filters! Specifically, Snapchat always has fun and exciting filters that includes crops, face and voice changers!  Unfortunately, I found myself wanting to post myself on social media only with an added filter; I had more confidence with one. My skin became smoother, lighter, my nose slimmer, and it even added lashes with a pop of color painted on my lips. Before, I would never post a selfie and definitely not a close up video, but now I found myself posting left and right.

Research notes that many new teachers leave the profession within their first 5 years in the classroom; however, they are not the only ones looking for a change in scenery. Tenured teachers are constantly weighing their options and self-reflecting. Do I want to change grade levels? Subjects? Schools? Districts? or Careers? Do I need to just take a break?

As an educator of more than 10 years, I have experienced some of the most challenging students as I have the best behaved students. Regardless of my interactions with them, the most important thing we as teachers can do is to show students we care. Like really care. Genuinely. How do you mend a broken relationship or how do you ensure a good foundation is built initially?

Did you know that in the United States there is a major shift in the demographics of our schools? With an increasingly diverse world, more children of color will begin dominating schools around the nation. Ironically, the majority of teachers will continue to be middle aged white women. This new epidemic is certainly taking place, but how are we preparing ourselves for what is to come? Will there be a cultural mismatch between teachers and the students they teach? How do we ensure this mismatch doesn't interfere with student learning. 

When I was in grade school, my teachers usually celebrated Black History Month in some form. Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and Eli Whitney were always the topics of discussion. Once, my class churned butter and held cotton in our hands in celebration of the month … (pause), and this is as far as our lessons ever went. With all due respect to the three names mentioned, there are so many more freedom fighters, inventors, scientists, artists, musicians, etc., that were never mentioned or taught in school.

There is no secret that students who live in low-income areas don’t perform as well as their peers who live in more affluent areas. However, students in low-income areas, who have a growth mindset, can perform the same and/or even better than students in higher income areas who have a fixed mindset.

Your students will live up to your expectations whether you set them high or low. So how are you motivating students to reach their full potential? As a student, I would perform better academically for teachers who pushed me and expected more from me. Yes, they got on my last nerve, but in hindsight, they had a greater impact on me than those who seemed to be satisfied with my bare minimum performance. Because these teachers didn’t push, I was satisfied with just getting by, and that is exactly what I did in some classes.

I once posed a question to students as an introduction to The Giver by Lois Lowry. “What would it take to make your world perfect?” The most common answer, no school! School can be boring for many students. Well, let me state that differently, the social aspect for students is the highlight of their school day. It's the sitting in class and the actual learning part that they would rather do without (go figure). Wouldn't it be great to push a button that allows students to obtain all knowledge? I wish I could just pour a fountain of smartness into the little darlings. Maybe in the next lifetime.