I have lost count of the number of times I have been told that rules without relationships lead to rebellion. Yet today, relationships with students seem to be feared instead of embraced. Over the years, quite by accident, I have discovered that this precept from days gone by is critical to classroom rules and to learning itself. Relationships are an essential part of learning, especially relationships between teachers and students.

Two years ago, my principal rolled an iPad cart into my classroom. I'd been challenged to design and implement a 1:1 iPad program that would enhance the highly structured academic curriculum already in place. I was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as I set out on this technology adventure, but I quickly realized that trail-blazing wasn't all glitter and rainbows.

I thought large print titles would be good for students with visual impairments or for struggling readers. I had no idea how many regular education students would enjoy them too.

Waynesboro Education Farm is an ambitious project. It sits on 1.5 acres of land adjacent to Berkeley Glenn Elementary school in the city of Waynesboro, VA.

The height of the pandemic brought many moments of upheaval and uncertainty, but amidst the tensions, there were also moments of laughter.

I believe it is vital for some form of investment education, along with the other elements of financial literacy, to exist in every school. In every classroom.

I, among other things, define myself as a rapper, and it’s a fact of which my students are all too aware.

School is a part of every child’s life. During their academic years, students deal with so many different facets of growth and development—physical, cognitive, emotional, and social. Having a chronic illness on top of the regular day-to-day stressors of being a student can be an enormous burden and challenge.

I started my teaching career at a public middle school in Toronto about two decades ago. At that time, I was not comfortable being personally out to my students.