Last week wrapped up my school’s spring break. And with all the news about COVID-19, school closures, and digital learning, this break was anything but relaxing. Officially, we are only on day 3 of our school closure, but it has
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Fostering and Developing Classroom Community in Our Brave New World
Teaching is about relationships and community. As Carla Shalaby says in her fabulous book Troublemakers, “It is deeply relational, human work” (p. 172). I’m struggling to hit the right notes as we consider moving to online or distance learning (aka
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Let’s Retain Each Other
Do you ever get that sense that you can make a big difference in one conversation? Two weeks ago, I bumped into a therapist who works at multiple campuses. We were talking about a different school where one of my
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The Perfect Pie
The crisp, hot air floods the room. The air has a scent of browned bread, and a hint of sweet berries. With a bit of effort, and a functional oven, a decadent pie emerges from the oven. While critics and
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Bracketology
Yesterday used to be one of my favorite days of the year: Selection Sunday. For those unfamiliar with the madness that is March, Selection Sunday is the day where sixty-eight NCAA men’s basketball teams receive their place in the championship
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COVID-19, 2020. When Districts Remain Open.
In the light of COVID-19 concerns, the familiar juxtaposition of professional athletes’ salaries to teacher pay takes on a new context. Why is every public event I can think of cancelled in every community I know, while many districts will
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Climbing Out of the Valley of Despair
I love, love, love the National Board process! I just finished teaching another pre-candidacy course in my district. This course gives teachers the tools, resources, and vocabulary to begin working on the National Board Certification process. The course can be
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What We Can Learn From Veteran Teachers
As a teacher, I spent my first couple of years eating at the “kids” table at lunch. I worked in a very veteran department where many of the teachers had been around for 10 or 15 years, if not more.
Read MoreTime Is Running Out
I wake up in the morning these last few months feeling like the clock is running out on me. It’s interesting to think that, essentially in the school system, January begins a weird sort of count down for me. We
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Spring Break is in the Air
I am counting down the minutes until Spring Break, which for me officially begins in 480 minutes! Between finalizing grades, holding Parent-Teacher conferences, serving on a district committee the past two weeks, doing my actual job of teaching my students,
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