It’s the beginning of a new school year. Will this year be better than last? I hope so! The beginning of the year causes many people to start considering what they will do differently or improve upon with a fresh
Read More
I’ll have it all figured out when…..
I have completed the first couple of weeks of the 21-22 school year as I write this. It has been everything that the beginning of school should be: exhausting and chaotic in all of the most familiar ways. We are
Read More
Our Story is SO Different
The scene is set in the front office of a school before teachers have returned to work. There are two people, the school office manager, and the principal, sitting and working separately on their computers. The hustle and bustle of
Read More
The Six “F”s
I can’t believe I actually want “F”s. I saw a Facebook post that had advice for teachers. It was simple, just six “F”s; be firm, fair, friendly, fun, flexible, and forgiving. In kindergarten, I have noticed that I am doing
Read More
A Little Faith
In typical back-to- school fashion, I had the usual first day of school anxiety nightmare, this time with a COVID twist. I was getting a COVID booster shot only to be told I had never actually received my vaccine, had
Read MoreFeelings and Reason: An Introduction to 2021
Last year we played the Hokey Pokey on a district scale. We took the kids out. We put the kids in. We took half the kids out and put the other half in. There was absolutely no consistency to the
Read More
It’s All About Perspective
Two years ago I wrote my very first blog for Stories From School AZ. It was a blog about change titled Change: Ready or Not Here it Comes. Up to that point, August of 2019 held more professional changes than
Read More
Puns & Peace of Mind
This summer, I saw my life unfold on the silver screen — yes, my life has been adapted into a feature film. The flattering part of it was that when it came to casting, the executives at Disney spared no
Read More
The Number Ten
The number ten is significant to me this year. Ten is the number of years my husband and I have been together. Ten is the number of fingers on your hand and toes on your feet. Ten is the birthday
Read More
Kindergarten 2021: Ready, Set, Go!
Kindergarten 2021: Ready, Set, Go! It happens every year. This is my 22nd year of teaching and it still happens to me! The week before school starts, I begin to get anxious. I need to get my classroom ready, my
Read More