A question I posed in my previous post - how can I be held responsible for those things over which I have little or no control, such as a family's socioeconomic status - begs an answer. Although I can't be held responsible for a family's socioeconomic status, I do have a moral responsibility to advocate for an equitable distribution of resources so that all children have what they need to focus on learning in the classroom. Although, there are other elements that come into play as far as the progress a child makes in any one year, financial stability is definitely high on the list due to the repercussions it has on all aspects of a family's life. As teachers, we are responsible for the learning that happens in our classrooms and we must protest the politics and policies that prevent children from learning. We need to be front line supporters for our students. If not us, then who?
I'm a hoarder. There, I've said it. I try to deny that I'm a hoarder but it comes back to haunt me every time I move houses, or pack up my classroom at the end of the school year. I have old articles, lesson plans, handouts, folders brimming with teaching ideas, past issues of profesional journals. I hardly throw anything out though I've learned to be more selective over the years. My one rule of thumb, and I really try to stick to this, is that if I haven't used or referred to something in a year, then it's time to toss it into the recycle bin. One exception to this rule (you knew this was coming, didn't you?) is past issues of journals from professional organizations. However, with the ability to locate articles online through my professional memberships, even this exception is becoming less and less useful, which brings me to the topic of this blog post. I am currently reading a copy of The Reading Teacher from 2010. I've clipped a cou...
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