As my twenty-year classroom teaching career draws to a close, I feel the need to share my reflections and important things I’ve learned. There is nothing more important than classroom community. First and foremost, classroom community affects student behavior. It
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“There may be a lot of things that Democrats and Republicans disagree on, but educating our students about American civics is something almost everyone can agree is vital.” -Governor Ducey, February 2017 In 2018, Governor Doug Ducey signed SB
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Today was the first day of AZELLA testing for my 7th grade introduction level English Language Development class. They were very nervous during the first subtest (Listening), and then we had quite a bit of time to relax. It wasn’t
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I didn’t love Mister Rogers growing up. I was more of a Sesame Street-loving gal, with the bright, feathery puppets and the emphasis on cognitive growth. It wasn’t until my little sister, a tiny blond hellion whose body never stopped
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If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude. -Dr. Maya Angelou Think about the emails you get as part of the school staff every day. Now, think about the emails you send every
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“You are so lucky you get a two week break for fall break!” Yes. Yes, I am lucky. I am also unpaid during this two week break. My contract is for 202 days and these 10 days do not count.
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In 2008, Lisa Moberg, now an NBCT and once a blogger for Stories from School Arizona, was teaching on a third grade team in a West Valley Title I school. The team had heard about the Western Growers Foundation grants
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As a college athlete, coaches constantly challenged our team, especially in the weight room and at practice. Being “good enough” was not an option. They taught us to push through a last repetition or to finish a certain drill, because
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Five years ago, I left my familiar junior high school to move to a new district and a new grade level. I was excited for a new challenge after teaching the same thing for 11 years and felt confident because
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It is the night before the first day of school. You are a prepared teacher. You have great lessons ready for your students. Everything is printed and ready to go. Yet, you still feel worried. What if this math lesson
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