The Stories Blog

remote learning

Not-Normal Times Call for Not-Normal Grades

At 8:21 pm on Thursday, January 20th, my principal called me to confirm another positive COVID case in my homeroom. This marked our fourth transition to remote/hybrid instruction this year. This...

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remote learning

I Almost Left Teaching But Then I Remembered Why I Started

This past year, I came the closest I ever have to ending my teaching career — midyear. Between August and December, my second graders and I had four different classroom models. The models were...

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Implicit bias

Expert Q&A: Focusing on Teacher Well-Being Benefits Students

For more than 35 years, Donna Housman has been helping young children, their teachers and their caregivers build their emotional intelligence. At the Housman Institute, her work with teachers at all...

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Chicago

The System Is Not Built for Teachers to Have an Opinion

At the close of the 2020-2021 school year, I experienced the most significant “break-up” of my life. The following is my unexpected farewell to teaching ......

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Achievement Gap

When We Talk to Our Students, Let's Focus Less on 'Learning Loss' and More on Their Learning Leaps

In the winter and spring of 2021, as the year of remote and hybrid learning continued, I started to notice a drop in attendance, particularly amongst my top-achieving students. Students have told me...

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Chicago

For Teacher Appreciation Week, Let’s Give Teachers Something They Really Want

I wanted to write the standard feel-good piece for Teacher Appreciation Week. I really did, but it just felt inauthentic. Don’t get me wrong. I love teaching and I love teachers. However, it’s hard...

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