A student left me the following comment on our class website: Mr. Isero, you know that I cannot go online because I do not have [the webcam] but obviously you do not care due to you have not given it to me yet. The details of the story don’t matter. What matters is that a [...]

I have four students not passing my AP English class right now. It’s not too bad, actually: They will all pass at the semester (unless they miss a major assignment). I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about why they’re not passing. Yes, their reading and writing skills need improvement. Yes, they sometimes miss assignments [...]

I have four students not passing my AP English class right now. It’s not too bad, actually: They will all pass at the semester (unless they miss a major assignment). I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about why they’re not passing. Yes, their reading and writing skills need improvement. Yes, they sometimes miss assignments [...]

Maybe my students think I’m crazy. “No, really,” I say. “If you’re ever not in class, you have to tell me. You have to text me.” For some students, this seems like a reasonable request. Mr. Isero expects me to be in class, so if I’m absent or late, I should let him know why. [...]

Maybe my students think I’m crazy. “No, really,” I say. “If you’re ever not in class, you have to tell me. You have to text me.” For some students, this seems like a reasonable request. Mr. Isero expects me to be in class, so if I’m absent or late, I should let him know why. [...]

A student e-mailed me this morning. “I don’t know when school starts,” she wrote. There’s some good news here: This student cares, understands that I’m a resource, and takes initiative to answer her question. But there’s so much more bad news: She didn’t receive the school mailing. Her home number has changed or doesn’t exist. [...]

A student e-mailed me this morning. “I don’t know when school starts,” she wrote. There’s some good news here: This student cares, understands that I’m a resource, and takes initiative to answer her question. But there’s so much more bad news: She didn’t receive the school mailing. Her home number has changed or doesn’t exist. [...]

                   Every August, I have the same goal: This year, I’m going to call more parents. The benefits are huge, right? Calling home means showing that I care, which builds relationships and contributes to student success. I get it. And calling home is much more effective than [...]

Every August, I have the same goal: This year, I’m going to call more parents. The benefits are huge, right? Calling home means showing that I care, which builds relationships and contributes to student success. I get it. And calling home is much more effective than emailing (10 percent of my students’ parents read email regularly) [...]

Ms. Dorothy, Is it fair to expect parents to show up on time for meetings?  I'm trying to offer some after-school support to students who really need it, and I'm trying to get the parents on board with my plans.  Is it unreasonable that I expect these parents to be at the meeting I scheduled for them?  Am I crazy? -Frustrated teacher This is ...