When I was little, I used to say to my friends, “Meet me at my swing set.” My daughter says, “I’m meeting my friend at the left corner of Stomp io” (an Internet game). This is true for many parents
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Responding To Not So Nice Emails
Chances are, you have been on the receiving end of an email from a parent, a colleague, or someone else that is less than kind. I‘ve worked with many teachers who need help responding to these emails and I’ve devised
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Lessons in Loss, Failure, and Apathy: The Dysart Override/Bond Election
Our bond and override election didn’t pass. Initially, I didn’t know what to say when everyone asked me in an incredulous tone “So…what happened there?” I’m trying not to be bitter about my hours of door-knocking. I’m trying to ignore
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How I Connect With Families
How often have you lost precious planning time because you were busy communicating with parents? How about getting so caught up in lesson planing that you completely forget to get back to parents? Too many teachers face this problem daily, and I
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Story from the School Garden
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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Lessons Learned from Missing the Mark
Parent teacher conferences are right around the corner. It’s the time of year when connecting with our families is the school-wide priority. As we prepare for the busy days and long nights, I’ve been thinking about the home/school connection. One
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Sawabona: I See You
Tribes in South Africa traditionally greet each other with “Sawabona,” which means “I see you.” The response is “Sikhona,” which translates to “I’m here.” As I watch my students finish up this busy school year, I’m making sure they feel
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An End to Civil Discourse: One Teacher’s Response to HB2002
Remember how I reminded us to trust, but verify? HB20002 was the first education bill dropped this session. It is a bill outlining a ban against teachers discussing any political issues, court cases, and/or current legislation in school. I don’t
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Getting Real: Special Needs Families
This week, leaders around the country offered their State of Affairs speeches. As the leader in your classroom, how would you respond if someone asked you to speak about the “State of Relationships with Your Special Needs Families?” How are
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The Power of Student-Parent-Teacher Conferences, Part Two
Conferences have come and gone for myself and many educators I know, but districts that start later in the year or have conferences after Fall Break may still be in the midst of these important events. For those reading about
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