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Students Organize a Peace Rally, Get Inspired |
Every autumn, on an
evening around dusk, a luminary-lit path appears on campus. Dozens of students
gather for inspiration in their social justice... |
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Working Out the Kinks of the Flipped Classroom |
I don’t often lecture in class. In general, I prefer to run more of a seminar-like discussion. Teaching British literature this year, however,... |
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Keep the Impact of Words in Clear View |
“So you’re calling us racists,” students accused.
I was starting to feel a little exasperated. “No, I’m not. I’m
saying that you have created an... |
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Finding a Place to Belong |
Taylor is the first baseman
on our team. He’s quick and alert on the field, a celebrated athlete. He also
loves musicals, and often repeats phrases... |
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A Day of Silence that Left a Lasting Impact |
Four years ago, we held our first Day of Silence, an
annual event where students at schools across the country take a vow of silence
in support of... |
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Standing on the Side of Truth |
Last spring, our high school performed The Crucible, Arthur Miller’s play about the Salem witch trials (also
an allegory
of the witch hunts of... |
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Being Honest About Past Intolerance |
Trey loved to challenge whatever rule he could in class. He
was the student who would question every nuance of the dress code, just to see
if the... |
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Students Require Explicit Acceptance |
Throughout
the year there are opportunities for school dances. It could be homecoming,
Sadie Hawkins or even a Halloween costume party. Students... |
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Literature Breaks the Silence of Privilege |
Silence.
It can be one of the most difficult obstacles to overcome during a discussion of racism. This time the silence in the room follows a... |
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Move Beyond Policy to Practical Safe Space |
Anna quickly entered my freshmen English classroom when the
third-period bell rang. She is no longer a freshman. This was a free period. Still,
she... |
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Student Voices Rise from the Crowd |
There is nothing more frightening to a writer than a blank
sheet of paper, and as I looked out across the first staff meeting for the
school’s... |
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Why I Teach: Learning What Courage Means |
My first year of teaching in middle school was an onslaught
of reading quizzes, vocabulary lists, lunch duty, reading skills and faculty
meetings. It... |
