This is Part 2 of a three part blog series on addressing dyslexia in Arizona. Part 1 can be found here. The subtitle for this post should be “Call It What It Is.” Where are we today in Arizona policies,
Read More“The Dream Catcher” or The Girl Who Championed Self Doubt
I’m not sure if she was solving multiplication problems with the Checkerboard or working in Read Naturally when I called her over. I noticed she took a deep breath and had that faraway look in her eyes, but she shook
Read MoreWhy I Became a Teacher
I’m a teacher. Three little words that pack a punch when someone asks, “What do you do?” The recipient of those words usually replies with, “Oh, wow! What age group? I can’t imagine.” Along with these words, there is usually
Read MoreDream On: Stressed Students at the End of DACA
Policies, local and national, shape our classroom practices, our instructional decisions and our interactions with students and colleagues. Sometimes, that connection is hard to see, especially when policies create a culture of silence which makes it difficult to track
Read MoreRevising Results-Based Funding
Results-Based Funding With little fanfare last month, 288 schools in Arizona received the first payout of results-based funding, the largest education initiatives outlined in the Governor’s State of the State address. The initiative became SB1530, a $38.63 million bonus for
Read MoreShhh. Don’t Tell Anyone, But I’m a Millennial.
Fine, I will admit it. I am a Millennial. Well, that’s half true. Born in 1983, I actually fall at the end of Generation X and the start of the Millennials. And after researching the qualities and characteristics of both,
Read MoreNeighborhood Knowhow: The Story of an Hour
As we climbed into the dusty school van, I wondered what the next sixty minutes held. My assistant principal jumped behind the wheel while my principal settled into the front seat as the new teachers, myself included, climbed into the
Read MoreAddressing Dyslexia in Arizona, Part 1
Frida Kahlo is known for her vibrancy in art and life, and her courage. Although I have always loved the surreal, direct qualities of her portraits, I had forgotten that she experienced injury and illness that led to multiple physical
Read MoreTeacher Appreciation Weak
Ah, teacher appreciation week. I look forward to the handmade cards and homemade goodies, and if I’m really lucky, school supplies or a Starbucks gift card. But here’s what I really want for Teacher Appreciation Week. Stop undermining the teaching
Read MoreWhen Executive Orders Get Personal
Yesterday as I drove home from work. NPR reported on the new executive orders expanding the groups prioritized for immigration enforcement– in effect, increasing the number of deportations of undocumented immigrants. But I didn’t hear much of the story. After
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