Recently, I had a chance to touch up with a fellow teacher. We did the usual greetings and had a lovely text-based conversation. While discussing staffing, he told me a few things that sent off alarms: “One of his coworkers
Read More
It’s Time For a Teacher
Betsy DeVos is on track to be President Trump’s least popular cabinet member, with an approval rating of 28%. Many of her decisions have been controversial, ranging from sending a higher percentage of coronavirus relief funds to private schools to
Read More
Unfinished Business
For months I knew what the topic of my May blog would be. When I left my school for spring break, I left a pile of student work on my desk and an open Google doc of qualitative and quantitative
Read More
The Letter of Resignation I Wanted to Write
It’s hard for me to believe, but after twenty years of teaching, this is my last week as a teacher. I wrote my letter of resignation a few months ago. It was a short, simple statement beginning with my intention
Read More
Forward Into a Foggy Future
I’ll make a claim: No matter how well informed, unbiased, smart, and well-meaning you are, you still have been wrong over and over in what you consider to be true regarding the Covid-19 pandemic. Too much is changing too fast
Read More
Hope Through Grief
Field Day-CANCELED Packing up the classroom- with students ALONE Year-End Awards-CANCELED Spring Musical-POSTPONED Graduation-VIRTUAL Teacher Appreciation-SOCIAL MEDIA Prom-CANCELED Presentation of Culminating Projects-ONLINE I am really grieving the loss of the 4th Quarter of school. It’s always chaotic, exhausting, hot, frustrating,
Read More
What’s Your “Better”? Learning How To Move With Change
The last month and a half has been a sea of constant change. I recently re-read Who Moved My Cheese? by Dr. Spencer Johnson. It’s my go to read when I’m forced into unexpected and unwanted change. It reminds me
Read More
Am I Doing Enough? An Affirmation for Teachers
Anxious, uncertain, afraid – I have felt all these emotions the last few weeks. At times, it has been overwhelming. But, in the face of it all, the adjective that describes what I am feeling most is awestruck. I am
Read More
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
Read More
Teacher Retention: A Success Story
Last month, I wrote a blog about teacher retention and the need to “begin within” when it comes to teacher recruitment. Beginning within means school leaders need to be intentional with their efforts to entice valuable teachers to return to
Read More