Citizen Teacher | education for a more humane & democratic society

Reaching Out, Giving Hope: Mentoring Across the Generations

August 7, 2015

A few months ago, I started seeing teachers posting anecdotes online under the title, “Evaluate This!” in response to the current practice of evaluating teachers, even those who don’t teach in tested subjects, on the standardized (English and Math) test scores of students. Teachers and students are so much more than data points, and test […]

Posted in: Stories from The Archive

Back to the Roots: A Tribute to Cathy Fleischer, PhD.

July 19, 2015

There is one teacher in my life who has played a tremendous role in my education, for she has been my teacher for over 20 years. When I was an undergrad in English Education at Eastern Michigan University, I had the great good fortune to have been scheduled into an English Methods class taught by […]

Posted in: Stories from The Archive

This Is Our Story: The Maples of A125

July 19, 2015

June 2014 It’s 12:35 on my 3rd day of summer break. I’m at school. I’m interviewing students, listening, trying to find out what kind of experiences they’ve had in my classroom, looking back at twenty years of teaching Adrian Maples. I’ve decided to start writing about it–a memoir–in parts–on a blog. I am so happy […]

Posted in: Stories from The Archive

Parents Behaving Badly: Censorship

May 22, 2020

Parents who tried to censor texts in IB courses seemed to reject the central tenets of the program.

Tagged: #Ceremony, #FreeToRead, Censorship, IBLiterature

Posted in: Advocacy, Anti-Racist Education, Books, Media Literacy, Mythology, Peace Education, Student Rights

10 Reasons Why I’m Not a Christian

May 21, 2020

My passion for study made me aware of the BAD IDEAS upon which the religion stands...

Tagged: #Atheist, #EmptyThePews, #Exvangelical

Posted in: Advocacy, Freethinker, Mythology, Wellness

Youth Narratives Matter

May 20, 2020

I pledge to be intentional in my words when I speak to or about young people.

Tagged: #StandWithYouth, #TakeThePledge, #wearenotatrisk

Posted in: Advocacy, Anti-Racist Education, Media Literacy, Mindfulness, Student Rights

Visual Literacy: Earthrise

May 19, 2020

The truth is in a photograph: the earth from outer space.

Tagged: #AllMyRelations, #Earthrise, #OneLove, #OnePlanetOnePeople, Community, Poetry

Posted in: Advocacy, Anti-Racist Education, Freethinker, Land Ethic, Mindfulness, Outdoor Education, Peace Education, Poetry

Rainy Day Ramble in 4 Photos

May 18, 2020

"Each moment of the year has its own beauty,"

Posted in: Land Ethic, Mindfulness, Outdoor Education, Wellness

Ask Where I’m A Local

May 15, 2020

History is real. Cultures are real, but countries are invented.

Tagged: #AllMyRelations, #OnePlanetOnePeople, #StayHuman, Community, Human Rights, Peace, Poetry, travel

Posted in: Advocacy, Anti-Racist Education, Mindfulness, Peace Education, Poetry, Wellness

Death, Anxiety, & the Wisdom of Watts

May 14, 2020

After about a year of practicing the faith, anxiety, depression, nightmares, and night terrors became my nightly reality.

Tagged: #Exvangelical, Death, Fear, Mindfulness, Self-Care, SleepDisturbances

Posted in: Books, Freethinker, Mindfulness, Wellness