I’m really ready for 2020 to end. I know I’m not alone. This has been the most challenging year of my lifetime. The stress and frustration brought on by COVID has extended into all corners of our lives. And while
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What Are You Reading?
As I write these words, Arizona officially is number 1 in the nation for the spread of COVID-19. Cases are spiking higher than we’ve seen since July. Teachers staged sick-outs this week as school boards voted to ignore state benchmarks
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A Call for Teacher Leadership in COVID Times
Why would COVID times be a good time to become a teacher leader? Isn’t it enough to just show up and make it through each day? And after all, schools have principals. Isn’t it the administrator’s job to lead? If
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A First Year Like No Other
This year we hired 40 new teachers to our district. Actually, this year we are continuing to hire “40 plus” new teachers to our district. During this difficult time, I am grateful for the number of teachers who have stepped
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Celebrating Small Wins
I was tired, worn out, and hungry when I joined a Zoom meeting for our district instructional leadership team. We meet monthly with our assistant superintendent and instructional coordinator to implement instructional practices, modify existing structures, amplify teacher voice, and
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The Camera Conundrum: On or Off?
“Mrs. Clark! Mrs. Clark!” shouted a student from across the Target parking lot a few weeks ago. I quickly turned around searching for the owner’s voice through a sea of cars and SUVs. A masked girl wearing a sweater, jeans,
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A Call For Transparency
“A lack of transparency results in distrust and a deep sense of insecurity.” – Dalai Lama When schools began opening buildings for in-person learning a few months ago, assurances were given to staff members and families. Promises of safety protocols
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Snapshot of a Silent Classroom
For the first time ever in my career, you can walk into my classroom almost any time these days and it is silent, students sitting facing forward in their desks. District policy dictates that the desks face the front of the
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The Little Things
Teaching is tough these days. No doubt about it. This blog post is not intended to minimize the very real suffering felt by teachers across Arizona. But it is meant to maximize the very real impact teachers are having on
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The High Cost of Teaching
Finding teachers has been challenging across Arizona for the past decade. Finding teachers has been all but impossible this year. Districts are contending with record openings. According to data from the Arizona School Personnel Administrators Association, as of August 31st,
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