How Do You Feel About High School?
Thank You, Mr. Ziebarth, by Sean ZiebarthIt had been a rough day.I tried to give one student some advice, but he stood up and said, “Mr. Ziebarth, I don’t find this advice helpful, so I’m not going to listen.” He walked away.At times, teaching feels like this — lessons don’t land, students tune out. It’s…
What Will You Remember About 2023?
As the new year approaches and the retrospectives for 2023 roll out, we’re asking you for your own lists.What were the top five to 10 most memorable moments from the past year?You can put anything you like on your lists — movies, music, television shows or books that you loved or loathed; moments from the…
How Do You Feel About Holiday Music?
Which activities do you look forward to during the holiday season? Putting up decorations? Watching movies? Building gingerbread houses?What about listening to Christmas music? Are you the type of person who can’t wait to turn on your holiday playlist each year? Or would you be happy if you never heard a Christmas song again?In “Why…
What Do You Appreciate About Winter?
Winter is nearly here in the Northern Hemisphere. Is this a season you look forward to each year? Or do you dread the onset of these dark, cold months?While winter can be a difficult time for many, The New York Times has reported on the ways people around the world embrace the season:For example, in…
Do You Ever Feel Sentimental About the Past?
Have you ever heard a song and been instantly transported to a moment from your past? If so, what was it? What did you think about when you heard it? What did you feel?In “Live Music Is a Time Machine,” Holly Burns explains why music has the special ability to make us “time travel”:In September,…
What Have You Changed Your Mind About?
Have you ever changed your mind about something — a song, a food, an activity, a person — that you were sure you loved or hated?Do you tend to be open-minded and flexible about your likes and dislikes? Or are you generally set in your tastes? Are you willing to give something or somebody a…
Lesson Plan About Race and the U.S. Census
What do you notice about changes in the ways the census has asked about race and ethnicity over time? What do you think the questions and the language used in the form say about each of those decades in American history? What questions do these snapshots of the U.S. census raise for you?Part III: How…
How Concerned Are You About the Cost of College?
College can be very expensive. And navigating how to pay for it can be confusing for many students and families.There are long, complicated forms to fill out. There are unfamiliar financial terms, like “unsubsidized loans” and “interest capitalization.” There are different prices that different students pay because of financial aid and discounts — sometimes called…
Do You Ever Feel Pressure to Post About Your Outrage Online?
These days, when tragedy strikes or a divisive political issue makes headlines, ordinary people, along with celebrities and corporations, are often expected to post their reactions on social media. Have you felt this pressure with any recent event, perhaps after a school shooting, during the Black Lives Matter protests or now, during the Israel-Hamas war?Do…
15 Questions About Your Life in School: A Special Forum for Students and Teachers
What can you show or tell us that might help explain what it’s like to be an educator or a student in a secondary school right now?That’s the broad question we’re asking anyone who is interested in contributing to our first challenge of the 2023-24 school year. Our goal? To create a collective portrait of…
