Me: Hey Son, what do you think about the claim that teachers make 3000 non-trivial decisions a day? Son: Well, they make a lot, maybe 100, but you’ve got to be realistic. And realistic is exactly what everyone (and it
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I’m Listening
Every summer I set my intentions for the next school year. These “New Year Resolutions” help me improve and refine my practice and keeps my teaching fresh. Often times they are built based on my learning experiences, reflections, and readings
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The Promise of a New Year
Recently, I listened to one of my favorite educational podcasts, Kids Deserve It! I love these podcasts because they speak to the positivity, innovation, and solutions for the work that is done by educators, from the building administration to the
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Dear Experienced Teacher:
Many of my blogger colleagues have posted back-to-school letters to new teachers – and rightfully so given the often-cited exodus of those newer to the teaching profession. Our newbies certainly need some overt love and cheerleading as they embark on
Read MoreStudents vs Scholars
Students vs. Scholars Last year our school culture shifted away from “I have to do this.” “I have to teach these kids.” “This is my job, I have to be here.” “I have who, that student.” TO, “I get to
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Dear New Teacher
Dear New Teacher, Welcome to the profession! You may be looking around your first classroom and thinking, “When did I become a grown up?” I was 20 years old when I was handed my first classroom keys and 24 five-year-olds.
Read MoreDear First-Year Teacher: You are My Hero
I am so proud of you!! You did it. By the time you read this, you would have completed your first day or even first week of school. Much has changed since I completed my pre-service training in 2000. You
Read MoreI Wish You Knew…
Earlier this spring you may have seen the post, “Students share what they wish their teachers knew.” This article hit at just the time we were losing energy and struggling to keep our momentum moving forward. So we flipped the
Read MoreLearning to Help Students With Mental Health Disorders
Narcissistic, sociopathic, obsessive compulsive, oppositional defiant, bipolar, passive aggressive, depression, and anxiety. That could be my characterization of this year’s presidential candidates and my state of mind when I think about it. But not quite. Rather, I’m referring to mental health conditions from which
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Wrestling with Myself
Marcus Aurelius said, “The art of living is more like wrestling than dancing.” No time of the school year feels more like wrestling than testing season. Between analyzing benchmark results and the looming high-stakes tests, it feels like the perfect
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