Is it just me, or is the second quarter the most difficult quarter of the year? Students pushing boundaries, a never-ending to-do list, the pressure of reaching all of your students so they learn and grow, collaborate with your team,
Read MoreRaising Student Voice through Inclusion
P-A-R-T-Y! Party! Party! Party! Where is the party? The party’s over here! Does this chant ring a bell? It does for me. It’s a popular chant at every Student Council event. The kids chant it back and forth across the
Read MoreHow 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
Read MoreHigh School Football Matters
Most of my education experience has been interconnected with sports. I was a student-athlete in high school and continue to be a teacher-coach now. While I’m in my 8th year as a classroom educator, I’m in my 10th year as
Read MoreRunning Out of Time
I am naturally a fast paced person. Like the Energizer Bunny, I bounce around all day long until I get home, bounce slower, and eventually crash into my bed to recharge. Despite all my bouncing, I still have the same
Read MoreWho Should Have Seniority?
A Return to Work (RTW) teacher in Arizona is one who retires, begins to receive their full pension, but stays on in their teaching position earning a percentage of their salary. This is legal because the RTW teacher technically becomes
Read MoreMost Spirited
Earlier this week, just a few moments after sunrise, I found myself looking down at my school from atop a steep slope. I was pulling weeds, and raking a rocky hillside. No. This was not penance for some classroom stunt.
Read MoreA Teacher by any Other Name
The day is finally here! Today is the day I am getting married on the beach in beautiful La Jolla, California! This whole quarter has been a whirlwind with adjusting to life as a new mom, starting over in a
Read MoreThe Extra Degree
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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