1. Independent Reading
Our Weekly Current Events Reading makes reading, writing and learning the news fun and a daily habit for children. Students will read short articles every day. They will always find an interesting topic to read! Students will improve their non-fiction literacy and learn more about the outside world. We also have a second recommended reading but you will have to subscribe to this periodical - "This Week Junior." But subscription is optional.  Please, note during the summer months, the weekly publications are on break.

2. Vocabulary, Geography, Critical Thinking and More! 
Our current events reading have vocabulary lists, activities and assessments. Students can create their own dictionary of unfamiliar words; they can add to their log each day with each edition.

3. Games, Trivia, Contests, Prizes and More!
Each week in class we will have games, trivia and contests on our daily current events readings. And what is a game without Prizes! 

4.  Classroom Debates! 
We will have a short debate on a global debate topic each week. 

I have been teaching current events classes for ten years as a New York City School Teacher and another ten years as a full time debate teacher and director. With degrees in Political Science, Law, Social Studies, and United States History - current events has been my lifelong passion! 

I received my B.A. from U.C Berkeley, Jurist Doctorate from Hastings College of Law, and Masters Degree in Education at Pace University.  In 2002 I was accepted to Teach for America and I have been teaching since. I have been a public school teacher for ten years with the New York City Department of Education and taught speech and debate classes for about ten years with thousands of NYC students. My debaters have gone on to win city, state and national champion titles. I currently serve as Professor at Baruch College in the Communications Studies Department. I teach Debate and Argumentation classes as well as Political Rhetoric. 

As a teacher I helped to co-found the Big Apple Debate League which is now the NY Debate League. In 2011, I founded our city's Debate League with the mission that every middle school and high school should have a debate team. I served as Founder and Executive Director from 2011-2019 building the league into the largest citywide debate league in the nation, serving thousands of students every year.  In 2020, I left the nonprofit world, and I returned to my passion as a full time teacher! 

I have received numerous awards in education including the United States Supreme Court Summer Institute for Teachers Fellowship, Fund for Teachers Fellowship, Plank Foundation Fellowship, and Teach for America Innovation Award Finalist.

I love teaching. My grandparents, parents and my brother are all educators. There is nothing more fun than sharing your passion with others. 

My philosophy of teaching is learning should be fun and challenging.  I always begin my classes with current events trivia.  My lectures are interactive with movie clips, songs, puzzles and other engaging tools.  We always practice our public speaking and debate skills. All my classes end with a fun and competitive speech and debate practice or tournament.  My mission is all students should have access to speech and debate.

Press. Below are some news articles about me and my debaters! I owe everything to my own debate teacher and coach and so everyday my mission is to support future debaters! 

1. First Lady Michelle Obama Honors Erik and the Great Debaters
https://tinyurl.com/29u2cfpw

2. Bronx debate team one of 12 school groups nationally to get visit with Michelle Obama
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/bronx/skilled-young-orators-heading-white-house-article-1.1203407

3. New York City Teacher Creates After School Debate League Lauded by the White House
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/11/prweb10156172.htm

Homework Offered
Assessments Offered
We do not have any formal assessments in the class. But students can track their own progress and see their growth through the games, presentations and debates we do in the class. Informal Assessments include: 

1.  Student Presentations on Current Events
2.  Current Events Games and Trivia
3. Student Debates on Global Current Events
Grades Offered

(1) Students will receive a free weekly current events magazine subscription from September-June and during summer months we have several online websites we will use. 

(2) We will also be using "This Week Junior" for several of our activities. While recommended, a subscription is not required.