As I’ve gotten into my groove as a returning rookie teacher, I’ve rediscovered the joys of finding success in the little things. When I say “little,” I mean things that measure students’ success in ways that are not analyzed as
Read More
Arguing With Students: It’s All About the Toothpaste
Two classroom management challenges came up recently in my engineering classes. In the first, two friends were horsing around and did some minor, easy to fix damage to their projects. Each claimed the other had started it. In the second,
Read MoreLessons From My Version of MacGyver
As I was dropping my students off at music, I spotted our plant manager, known as Miss Shannon, who was walking a comically tiny bike across the courtyard. As I ran to open the door to the main building, I
Read More
True Teacher Confession #1: Sometimes I wear pajamas to work.
To clarify, my students earned pajama day by making a school fundraiser goal. Did I set up the goals? You bet! I love pajama day! But not just pj day… Occasionally, I wear my “Teacher by day, Jedi by night”
Read More
The Preparation Gap
There are many factors that are impacting education, to include lack of funding, lack of teaching professionals in the classroom, and the lack of support for new professionals during the most crucial years. As a Hope Street Group National Teacher
Read MoreWho is driving the bus?
Do you get on or do you get left behind? Well, it depends on who is driving the bus? Have you ever sat in a professional development and thought “Why on earth am I here?” or “Could the rest of
Read More
“Isn’t Kindergarten Supposed to be PUN?!?!”
“ Isn’t Kindergarten supposed to be PUN?!” Translation: Isn’t Kindergarten is supposed to be FUN?! The most constructive and valuable criticism I have received in my 7 years as an educator. Why? It was honest, genuine, and most importantly, provided
Read More
Rookie Moves
Now that I’ve returned to the classroom, people keep asking: “How is it going?” And my answer has been pretty consistent: it’s wonderful, but it’s also kicking my proverbial rear end! It’s not like I forgot how complicated teaching was,
Read MoreDigressions, Gripes, and My Hypocrisy
I’m going to start with a digression (a pregression?). I get poems stuck in my head, just like music. Two frequent culprits are from Kurt Vonneget’s novel, Cat’s Cradle: Lion gotta hunt, Bird gotta fly, Man gotta sit and wonder, Why?
Read More
“Do You Have To Leave Us?”
“Mrs. Maloney, why do you have to leave us?” Her big gray eyes looked up at me pleadingly as she hugged me tight across the middle as if to stop me from exiting the classroom door. My heart was torn
Read More