Welcome to the Resistance

We are teachers.

We have a hard job. Don't get me wrong, it's the best. We have a job that is challenging and ever-changing. One that allows for, literally, constant, minute-to-minute growth and enlightenment. Most of all, it's a job that MATTERS. Everyday. What we do here matters.

And it's hella hard.

As educators we care fervently about the potential that public education offers. But we see the flaws. We work within the system to correct the system. We are advocates, defenders, on-the-ground researchers, test pilots and crash dummies, martyrs, and rebels.

Over the past few years, I've started to feel like I'm constantly rebelling. I'm fighting the system on high stakes testing, growth testing, quarterly testing, and how these tests should be portrayed to and discussed with students. I'm revolting against intervention strategies, ineffective (and yet required) teaching practices, and (lack of) support for quality practices. I'm raving against behavior interventions. I'm opposing homework. I'm ranting about recess.

I've become a bit of a curmudgeon.

And so I've come here.

This is the place where I am going to share my confusion and my questions. I am going to air my grievances and publish my missteps. I'm going to say what I think should happen and wonder aloud how it could be done. I'll share what I've tried, how I did it, what happened that was good and bad, and what I'm going to do next.

And I'm doing it here because we are all somewhere along the path of our vision quest. We are all walking the tightrope of doing what we've been told and standing up against what we can't abide. You may not always agree with me. I may not always agree with me. If we learn something new together then it will be worth it.