Take a good look at this pic. Your eyes do not deceive you. Indeed, that round red tag says “I’m a stroller strap” (and in French, too). But don’t get too excited, I will not be buying a stroller anytime soon. It’s just that, as …
10 Months.10 Lessons.
Thank you for your readership of Ethical ELA this school year. Thank you for being my teacher-friend. In a typical school day, the only time teachers may be alone is when we use the restroom (until someone knocks on the door). Still, teaching can feel …
The Countdown: What If I Don’t Want It to End?
“Dr. Donovan,” Isabel whispers leaning over her desk in between student presentations, “can you tell me which poem I should share at Espresso Self Cafe? I just don’t know which one to present, and we don’t have much time.” I kneel beside her desk as …
Mirror, Mirror, is it time to move on?
It is incredibly humbling to look, really look at oneself from the angles other show you, but I see it as protection from shattering, from falling apart. When I am willing to look carefully at all the angles, I can make adjustments to heal, to improve, and to make a change if needed.
Say My Name (But Not Too Loud)
“Good morning, Jennifer.” “Good morning, Dr. Donovan,” Jennifer replies as she walks on by to her first period class. “Good morning, Pedro.” “Good morning, Dr. Donovan,” Pedro replies as he walks into our classroom. “Is Jennifer our student? I don’t remember her. Gosh, I don’t …
Fatigue in teaching: A few tips for getting back to the teacher you want to be
A laptop held in the crook of an arm that used to carry a plan book. An empty stainless steel canister in hand, curled close to the chest. The free hand now pulls out an empty chair at a table where several teachers offer a …
“Democracy” in ELA: What do 8th graders have to say?
I took this picture on the beach of Gulf Shores, Alabama as I waded in and out of the waves trying to get nice pic. We had just driven south from Chicago through towns displaying the Confederate flag, and, in light of recent Supreme …
Ethical ELA’s Birthday: Top Posts
From reading comic books to celebrating teacher friends, from reading logs to reading Shakespeare, from portfolio assessments to throwing out grades, we are uncovering what English teachers do for our students, schools, and humanity. Thank you.
Reading as a Witness to Lives Lived by Sarah J Donovan
As teachers, we bear witness to the lives of students every day, and in journals, blogs, seminars, and over lunch, we read the lives of students as well. Because of teachers, students’ stories endure. We are a witness to their lives.
Oversharing in Writing Workshop
Many ELA teachers write alongside their students, but do you write like a “teacher” or a “person”? Do you write to model for and teach techniques to your students, or do you write to explore an experience, uncover a truth? Of course, being a teacher …