2021 has felt like it is taking three years to get through. I look at the first graders in the hallways and I think, “Was it just last year that we worked together online?” It seems like it was much
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‘Tis the Season
‘Tis the season! It’s that time of the school year where we notice that the second quarter is coming to a close and we realize all the things we have left to do before we go on Winter Break. In
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Fingers Crossed
At this moment, National Board Candidates from around the country are counting down the hours until scores are released this week and they will finally know if their hard work paid off. That moment, I remember, is stressful and exciting
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The Teaching Tango
Is teaching an art or a science? Well, it depends on who you ask. There are those who believe that teaching is an art. There is absolutely an art to teaching: letting your passion shine, engaging students in their learning,
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Reflex or Reflection?
(Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay) Many years ago I participated in an excellent professional development class called Cognitive Coaching. Over several weeks we learned ways to coach mentees, such as National Board candidates, as they plan, execute, problem-solve, and
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Gifted or Talented?
Chapter 1 of Differentiation for Gifted Learners (Heacox, 2019) explains something I never knew: the distinction between gifts and talents. Heacox based her viewpoint of gifts and talents on the position of Francoys Gagne. Gifts are “superior innate aptitudes…[present at birth]…the
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Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom – Winebrenner (Chapter 1)
Whether they have been identified or not, it is important for educators to understand and accept that gifted students are everywhere! We have spent so much time, energy, and resources in supporting the needs of struggling students (especially since COVID)
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Keep on Growing!
Each year, I look at my bookshelf in my classroom and I think to myself, “You know, I should really go through this stuff and get rid of things.” Each year, I always come across my original teaching portfolio from
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What’s on Your Walls?
Every year the walls start bare. The empty white spaces stare at me until the learning starts and slowly the walls get filled up with colorful posters. My room is definitely a reflection of my teacher personality: brightly colored (slightly
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