I am up for breath after the first few weeks of school, and amazed at what we have accomplished in my classes in terms of implementing technology. During the past two years, I have been lucky enough to have a set
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It Takes Practice
You’d be hard pressed to look through any educational journal or website without coming across the phrase “best practice”. These classroom or school-based approaches are proven to be effective in a range of settings and supported by research studies. Educators that
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Balancing a Full Plate
Many people ask me how I get through my very busy school year. It’s a legit question: between teaching fifth-grade full time, taking doctoral classes, blogging and coaching, not to mention being a mom and wife, I feel overwhelmed just
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Learning About Teaching (and Life) on the Back of a Bike
Stephen R. Covey lists “Sharpen the Saw,” through care of mind, body, and soul, as the habit through which we renew ourselves. So, on the last day of school in May, I bought a sport hybrid bicycle and named her
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Organized Chaos aka The Prepared Environment
Am I ready? Before students enter the class from the first day of school to the last, it is the goal of most teachers to have the classroom ready and prepared to receive them. In addition to being functional,
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Starting a New School Year with a Proven “Formula” for Success
I am so excited to see 6th grade teachers and students rejoin our middle school campuses. We use to have 6th grade on my campus a few years ago, but the decision was made to remove them and placed them
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A 1% Investment in Future Human Capital for the Sake of our Children
We need parents and stakeholders to step up and help get Arizona fixed. We need to start demanding that our kids get quality instructors, facilities, and equipment to make our next generation something to be proud of. I
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Neighborhood Knowhow: The Story of an Hour
As we climbed into the dusty school van, I wondered what the next sixty minutes held. My assistant principal jumped behind the wheel while my principal settled into the front seat as the new teachers, myself included, climbed into the
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My All-Star TOY School
This past week, I sat on the interview panel for Arizona Rural Teacher of the Year. I have worked with Teachers of the Year in the past and I know the quality of teachers they are. In fact, I nominated
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Should Undocumented Teachers Be Allowed to Cross Professional Borders? Final Thoughts
In an attempt to ease our open-position crisis, recently passed Senate Bill 1042 permits schools to hire applicants with content expertise but no coursework in education. The law applies to grades six through twelve, as does this series of posts.
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