Notes from the Inkpot
Writing, teaching, creating - one ink-stained idea at a time.
We Are Missing the Good Kids (And It’s Costing Us More Than We Think)
Every year, the loudest voices take centre stage — whether through disruption or achievement — while the quiet, steady students fade into the background. These “good kids” hand in work on time, follow every rule, and never demand attention, yet too often they go unseen. This post explores why our system overlooks them, what we lose in the process, and simple ways to make sure they’re not forgotten.
You Don’t Kill Someone for Their Ideas: What Charlie Kirk’s Murder Means for Classrooms
Charlie Kirk’s murder is an extreme reminder of where unchecked intolerance can lead. His wife, his children, and a crowd of students witnessed an act meant to silence, when what they expected was debate. As teachers, we can’t solve political violence — but we can shape how young people learn to disagree. In our classrooms, the habits we model and the structures we build matter: separating the person from the idea, listening before responding, refusing caricatures, and treating disagreement as an invitation, not a threat. This isn’t glamorous work. It won’t stop every act of hate. But it gives students practice in something the wider world has forgotten — how to live with difference without resorting to violence.
The Back-to-School Writing Task That Helps Me Understand Every Student
One simple writing task. That’s all it takes to start building real relationships with your students. Here’s the first-week activity I always use to understand who’s in front of me, and why it works year after year.