Christina Torres
edutopia
Honolulu, HI, United States
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Past articles by Christina:
No Points Off for Late Work
A look at how one teacher adjusted her policies to encourage learners to turn in quality assignments, even if they were late. → Read More
An Open Letter to a Parent Afraid of Anti-Racist Education
Black Lives Matter, climate change, family separation? All appropriate classroom topics, writes Christina Torres. → Read More
Why We Should Give Students a Homework Break Over the Holidays
Giving students time to recharge over holiday breaks is important, writes teacher Christina Torres. Here are her ideas for creative things you can do to keep students engaged in learning without assigning homework. → Read More
Bringing the Joy of Read-Alouds to Middle School Students
Reading aloud is a strategy elementary school teachers have capitalized on for generations. But we can use storytelling and drama to get older students engaged and loving literature, too, writes teacher Christina Torres. → Read More
Why I’m Rethinking Teaching Shakespeare in My English Classroom
It's high time to question the place of Shakespeare in our classrooms, writes middle school teacher Christina Torres. Our kids deserve to study stories that represent and validate their experiences and cultures. But throwing the Bard out entirely isn't the answer either. → Read More
The End of This Story
This is the end of this story, but our students are already writing new ones. I can't wait to read what's next. → Read More
On Shame and 'Daring Classrooms': We Need to Fix Systems, Not Kids
A new set of lesson plans from the popular researcher Brené Brown has caused some online debate, with many educators now thinking about the shame and trauma students carry with them. → Read More
Silence Will Not Save Us: Why We Cannot Ignore Students' Experiences
No space is truly safe if it does not reckon with the complete and total experience and existence our kids face each day. → Read More
The World in Words: Summer Reading Recommendations
By allowing ourselves to dive into someone else's story and voice, we're able to not just gain perspective on our work but also on our own identities. → Read More
The Voices We Need
All countries must be included in the conversation about "global education" because all countries bring different things to the table. → Read More
No One Sings the Blues Like Charlie Patton's Sister
We must give students the power to explore and share their stories and broadcast them, record them, so we don't unfairly distort the truth of who they or we are. → Read More
The Hate We Create; The Hate We Ignore
It's on educators to consciously choose to work on our implicit and explicit biases to start undoing the systemic oppression that has led us here. In doing so, we can help our students hopefully create a world much more loving, inclusive, and safe than the one we've created for them now. → Read More
Why You Really, Absolutely Shouldn't Change the English Curriculum
We study literature in order to help our students, the future generations, develop their values and morals and better understand the world. → Read More
Why You Really, Absolutely Shouldn't Change the English Curriculum
We study literature in order to help our students, the future generations, develop their values and morals and better understand the world. → Read More
Mindfulness Won't Save Us. Fixing the System Will.
Then, I read a few of the comments on the video. This is generally a risky idea, but the majority were very positive. One comment, however, gave me pause. It said something like, "YES! This is what will FIX OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM!!" The smile left my face, and my brow furrowed. A Bigger Picture Mindfulness programs aren't the problem. My concern is with the group of people who look at mindfulness… → Read More
Honing Your Craft With Summer Training
A list of opportunities for summer travel that combines exploration and professional development. → Read More
The Power of Words: On "Classics" and "Canon"
This work must be led by those who have been historically oppressed, and if I want to support them, that means I must work to explore their writing and show my students just how powerful those voices are. → Read More
The Edupreneur: An Interview With Dr. Will
The field of education is missing a critical voice in how we can go about creating substantial and lasting change within public education and beyond. → Read More
3 Small(er) Changes for a More Socially Conscious Classroom
Teaching with a socially conscious lens is not easy, nor does it happen overnight. There are some small steps you can take, though, to move you in the right direction. → Read More
Student Perspective: The True Meaning of Aloha
"Aloha" isn't just a greeting; in a way it is their way of life, and when you distort that sacred word, you distort their way of life. → Read More