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How does identity influence our perceptions of history?

An angry mob beat the Freedom Riders when they arrived in Montgomery. How do you explain that to young children?

Hands jut into the crisp autumn air, restricting my field of vision to a sea of shirtsleeves. While this is not an odd phenomenon after a new writing assignment, the types of questions are. “When will we mail it?” and “Can I make this longer than three paragraphs?” replace heavy sighs of “When is this due, again?”

My third-period students rushed in at the start of class, wide-eyed and excited. Something had happened. “Quentin hit Ms. Combs!” Helen Combs was my friend. She taught language arts. “He knocked her down,” one student reported. “They took her to the hospital, and the police took him away in handcuffs!”

One of the simplest ways to foster compassion and understanding in our classrooms is to give students opportunities to share stories about their lives. By communicating and listening, students can break down stereotypes and see each other as real people. This can be done through curriculum-related projects such as personal narrative and poetry or as part of a daily class meeting.

This English teacher picked up a few tips for connecting with students. It’s all about how you speak.

As sure as October brings pumpkins and pep rallies, TT Director Maureen Costello knows she’ll hear dis-spiriting news about a school’s offensive choice of spirit week theme. Yesterday was no exception.