The masked humans stare back at me at the start of each class. I smile at them through my mask, and I hope they are smiling too, but you never know. I do know that more desks are empty today
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Back in the Game: The Power of Feedback
Sitting in the bleachers, I watched my daughter make a mistake on the basketball court and promptly get removed from the game. As she left the court her coach met her in front of the bench and immediately began talking
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Reclaiming Our Time
‘First Chapter Fridays’ have been a fun concept catching lots of attention on social media and Pinterest boards for ELA teachers the last couple years. If you’re unfamiliar with this craze, it is the idea of sharing just the first
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Rethink Your Resolutions
It’s that time of year again: New Year Resolutions. Does that make you feel excited (like myself) or make you roll your eyes (like my husband)? People across the globe are reflecting on the past year and thinking about what
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Resolutions and a Plan
Monday was the first day of the second semester of my first year teaching high school since I was a student teacher in 1987. At the beginning of the first semester, I wrote here about what questions I had and
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It’s Your Time
Me: I’ll have the breakfast special. Server: how would you like your eggs? Me: scrambled Server: bacon, ham, sausage, or turkey sausage? Me: bacon, very crisp. Server: white, wheat, rye, sourdough, English Muffin, or blueberry muffin? Me: ooooh, blueberry muffin.
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An Ode to Community College
“Bragging rights,” I assured him. A colleague and I were walking to our cars discussing all of the letters of recommendation that we had written this year for “prestigious” schools. “Why are people applying to be in debt at these
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Cultivating Joy
Joy: Noun 1. The emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying. 2. A source or cause of keen pleasure or delight; something or someone greatly valued or appreciated. 3. The expression or display of
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Not Yet Achieved
‘Twas the night before score release And all through the house Teachers were waiting For their score to be announced! The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards released the scores of National Board candidates this past weekend. Teachers anxiously waited
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