Earlier in October, Bryce Brothers shared the blog, Days Like Today. As I read his story, I realized there are days I struggle with similar issues but on a slightly different level. I am pretty sure all educators, regardless of
Read More
Driving School
I live 3,000 miles away from my mother so, unfortunately, I don’t get to be in a car with her very often (or anywhere else for that matter). When I do, I always try to be behind the wheel; it gives me
Read More
You Down with PLNs?
Have you ever had one of those REALLY GOOD ideas that gets you super excited? I’m talking about the kind of idea that could make your grade level or school really better–or an idea that might even improve education in
Read More
The Requirement of Reflection
My teaching assignment changed this year, about five weeks into the first quarter. Due to a district policy of only counting “bodies in seats,” not enrolled students, our 5th-grade class sizes were huge (36 – 38 students in tiny portable
Read More
“The Dream Catcher” or The Girl Who Championed Self Doubt
I’m not sure if she was solving multiplication problems with the Checkerboard or working in Read Naturally when I called her over. I noticed she took a deep breath and had that faraway look in her eyes, but she shook
Read More
NCLB. For Reals.
At yesterday’s weekly whole-school meeting, the video announcements included an extended slideshow from the recent Annual Junior College Road Trip that took students on visits to the in-state universities and camping at the Grand Canyon. In the slideshow was a picture of Victor sitting at
Read More
Why I Became a Teacher
I’m a teacher. Three little words that pack a punch when someone asks, “What do you do?” The recipient of those words usually replies with, “Oh, wow! What age group? I can’t imagine.” Along with these words, there is usually
Read More
Dream On: Stressed Students at the End of DACA
Policies, local and national, shape our classroom practices, our instructional decisions and our interactions with students and colleagues. Sometimes, that connection is hard to see, especially when policies create a culture of silence which makes it difficult to track
Read More
Organized Chaos or The Prepared Learning Environment (Continued)
During our first glance at the prepared learning environment, we looked at how freedom, structure and order, and beauty are key elements that answer the developmental needs of elementary children to create structure. Today, we will look at the last
Read More