As I listen to one of my favorite songs by the prolific rap artist Jay-Z, I reminisce on how the words in the chorus will forever motivate me as a first-generation college student from New Orleans. “Some how, some way, we gotta make it up the hood, someday.” For nearly thirty years, Jay-Z has been […]
Shareefah Mason
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
How the NBA’s Jaylen Brown’s Story… signifies the intentional demise of Black kids in America’s schools
“My teacher said she will look me up in the Cobb county jail in 5 years… Wow!” This was a quote published to Twitter, now X, in 2014. It was posted by a young Black man named Jaylen Brown, who graduated from Wheeler High School in Georgia. He grew up in a diverse community in […]
Posted inCOVID-19
Thank You…NEXT! Next School Year Has Got to be Better Than Last
According to Statista, 511,000 teachers left the profession in June 2023. These numbers are exponentially higher than the eight percent who left the field in the 2021-22 school year after the COVID-19 pandemic. While there are a slew of reasons teachers are leaving the field in droves, one resounding constant is that teachers don’t feel […]
Posted inCOVID
Texas Hold ‘Em- The Evolution of Teacher Residencies
Enhanced Standard Certificate for Teacher Residents Once again, Texas is on the cutting edge of teacher recruitment and retention. On Friday, April 12, 2024, the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) led the country by becoming the first state to distinguish teachers prepared by vetted teacher residency programs. Those residents will bestow the distinction of […]
Posted inLiteracy
The end of an era: How Pat Sajak and the Wheel of Fortune challenged a nation
As Pat Sajak has walked the set of Wheel of Fortune for the last time, educators would be remiss not to acknowledge the significance of the impact of his work on teachers and students alike. Millions of children, especially children of color in impoverished areas, have vivid memories of sitting in front of the television […]
Posted innews
School Shootings: When the drills become real
Within twelve days, The Dallas-Fort Worth area has experienced two school shootings. The first shooting occurred at Wilmer-Hutchins High School in Dallas, Texas, on April 12, 2024. A teenage boy was shot in the leg by a 17-year-old, who sneaked a .38 revolver into the school, past several metal detectors. A Wilmer-Hutchins teacher’s courageous efforts […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
How Principals Should Model NCAA Women’s Basketball Post Conferences to Cultivate Effective, Culturally Intelligent Teachers
Every March, the NCAA March Madness showcases the best and brightest in women’s basketball to millions of viewers. And every year, principals and administrators observe teachers for at least 45 minutes to grade their effectiveness as teachers. This is such a high-stakes procedure, as anything can happen that would make the most effective teacher, look […]
Posted inTeacher Preparation
Why Teacher Prep Programs MUST tap into the MAGIC that is Abbott Elementary
Abbott Elementary is the gift that keeps on giving to teacher prep programs because it highlights and emphasizes the intangibles that far transcend coursework around content, pedagogy, or lesson planning. Instead, the television series introduces the challenges, the cultivation, the productive struggle, and, most importantly, the JOY found on ‘Abbott Elementary campuses across the country. […]