I have had the good fortune to have been a part of many classrooms that felt like family to me. During my high school years it was primarily just a portion of the class, and not every single individual. The common thread that I see between all of those classroom families is that the teachers … Continue reading It’s All in the Family →

I'm having difficulty thinking of a specific instance where I felt that I was truly being seen as an individual in a classroom setting that wasn't negative. Throughout my primary and secondary education, I was seen as a 'problem child'. Some of that came from the reputation passed down to me from teachers' memories of … Continue reading Now You See Me →

  What does it mean to teach with courage? Based off the reading I've done of Christopher Emdin's, For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood, I see 'teaching with courage' as being undeniably authentic. Not changing who you are, what you enjoy and value to fit into a confining role of what a teacher "should" be … Continue reading Teaching With Courage →

A few days ago I went to the Fort Collins nursery to buy some plants for my house. At this point in my life, I have successfully killed every plant I have ever owned, so I knew I had to try something new. I have always bought plants already in the pots and just hoped … Continue reading Morning Pages: An Immersive Experience →

Being a light for yourself and others is a beneficial and impactful practice in any walk of life, but to me, it is a an essential role to take on as an educator. Being entrusted by a community to raise up and teach the next generation is something that shouldn't be taken lightly. Every day, … Continue reading Making A Light →

Today we went to Compass Charter School to meet with the students that came to visit our class last week. When they came to our classroom, we looked over their persuasive letters and gave them some feedback to improve them. This time, since me, Kelly, and Mikaela are all doing the teacher as ally badge, … Continue reading Level Up: Meet the Experts →

The best piece of advice I think I have ever received was from my older siblings right before I started high school. It was advice that my oldest brother had told to my sister, who then told my other brother, and then was finally passed down to me. The advice was simple, yet impactful: "If … Continue reading Morning Pages: Advice →

I read this scholarly article about how to be effective allies for LGBTQ+ students by increasing their visibility in schools. One of the first things they explain about being a good ally for your LGBTQ+ students is by, as an educator, educating yourself first. This requires taking a critical look at your prejudices and misconceptions and … Continue reading Level Up: LGBTQ+ Students →

The article I chose to read was "Enhancing Vocabulary and Comprehension in English Language Learners" because I am incredibly passionate about supporting our English Language Learners. It presented a lot of very concrete things that English teachers can do in order to increase ELL's success with their literary skills. The main one they present is teaching … Continue reading Tools, Tips, and Methods (Oh My!) (The Ally Remix) →

The first piece I read was "Reel Life". This piece discussed how using foreign films can help students to see more connections between their lives and those of other cultures and backgrounds. The article talked about how these films can function as "windows and mirrors" to allow students to see themselves in the characters of … Continue reading Anatomy of an Ally →