Is it just me, or is this one of the craziest parts of the school year? I just got back from a field trip with over 100 students, have to get progress reports put together, organize the 2nd grade Thanksgiving
Read More
Building Relationships: The struggle of an Elementary Specialist
I dread the comment, even though I know it is meant as encouragement. It just rubs me the wrong way. “You’re so lucky you DON’T have to sit through data meetings” or “Wow! I bet you have so much fun!”
Read MoreMOWR…Is 2nd Grade the New 3rd Grade?
Move On When Reading (MOWR) is a policy currently in effect with the intention of preparing students to be proficient readers by 3rd grade so they are properly prepared to enter 4th. This leads to the questions: What is so
Read More
A Student of My Students First
The question I had been waiting for… “So, Mrs. Maloney, where are you in terms of the pacing guide?” I knew that it would come during one of our “data chats” in which teachers check in with our administration team
Read More
The Arizona Leaky STEM Pipeline
My wish for the next group of elected state officials is to adopt a growth mindset when you take on your new roles. But even more specifically, my hope is that this new crop will adopt a growth mindset
Read More
Redirecting Applause
No one will ever describe me as humble. Ever. Like Lady Gaga, I live for “the applause, applause, applause. I live for the applause-plause, live for the applause-plause!” With that said, I one time misspelled “ego” in my school’s spelling
Read More![20180921_011753[1]](http://www.storiesfromschoolaz.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/20180921_0117531-881x660.jpg)
The Educated Voter…Midterm Elections 11/6/18
One lesson that I think all educators across the valley can agree with is that it is critical for us to stay informed and involved in our legislative process. I think we also learned that in order to do this,
Read MoreMemorization is NOT a Four Letter Word
The start of a new academic year had materialized, and I decided to start it off right. I asked myself “What is something that will make a big positive impact in my class right away?” The answer came quicker than I thought it
Read More
Dear Principal
Dear Principal, First let me say, I don’t envy you. I know your job is a tough one- heavy on responsibility and light on accolades. But after almost twenty years of working with all sorts of administrators as a classroom
Read More