As I sit here tonight, the day after election day, Arizona has yet to call any of the major races. Results keep trickling in, and I check and recheck my phone hoping to see numbers increasing and decreasing. We just
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A Parents’ Guide to Grades
Dear Parents, I have been an educator for 11 years – 9 years as a classroom teacher, 1 year as an interventionist, and an instructional coach this year. In the last 11 years, I have had many conversations regarding students’
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Finding my Voice: Advocating for National Board Certification, Part 1
I have been trying to find my voice my entire life. Going back to my childhood, I was constantly told that I was too quiet, that I need to speak up or louder; I listened to excuses for my shyness
Read MoreIn Defense of Offense
Parent-teacher conferences were this week. Usually, it’s a parade of star students with doting parents walking from teacher to teacher to receive their accolades – or the opposite: students with single digit grades, their parents droning, threatening cell phones, video
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Wait… Early Admission to Kindergarten is a Real Thing?
The scene is set in a bedroom, full of clothing piles and random children’s toys scattered around the room. It is nighttime, and one light is on, leaving the room with a dark quiet feeling. Husband, Matt, is laying down
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Be A Bucket Filler
I was walking to my classroom during my prep period one morning when I was passing a kindergarten class. They were walking in a squiggly line, their teacher instructing them at the back. Beads of sweat were present on all
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Putting on my Running Shoes
I stumble into my closet half asleep after my alarm goes off way too early in the morning, and get dressed. Shirt – check. Pants – check Shoes – cute heels, check. A memory from yesterday flashes through my mind
Read MoreParent/Teacher Conferences
What makes a conference effective? I have been asking myself this question for over 20 years. I think I finally have the answer for my middle school students. For the past three days I have been with every one of
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I AM A TEACHER
The scene is set for any time that I have had a conversation with someone trying to make small talk over the past three months. Person: “So what do you do for work?” Me: “I’m a teacher.” Person: “Oh, that’s
Read MoreA Triumph Indeed
Slid across the desk with triumph — an iPhone shows me a picture of a former student in rainbow glitter with a caption: “Like Lizzo says: ‘All the rumors are true, ya’ — or at least about me. I am
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