Yesterday was the last day of school. There was a pizza party, yearbook signing, and lots of adorably dramatic pre-teen tears mingling with shouts of joy. In theory, I should have woken up today with a feeling of freedom and
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Awaken the Sleeping Giant
“Within every school, there is a sleeping giant of teacher leadership that can be a strong catalyst for making changes to improve student learning. By using the energy of teacher leaders as agents of school change, public education will stand
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What Google Says About You: A Challenge
So it’s the end of the school year. A delightful feeling of renewal is sprinkling down like magic as you look forward to summer break. You are probably putting together an epic summer To-Do list of projects, appointments, and fun
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Shall We Discuss the Plate?
A satirical dialogue wherein the extraneous obligations of a teacher are mysteriously transferred to a professional in another field. [setting: The Sizzler next door to The Radio Shack on the old part of town.] Terry: Bob, thanks for meeting with
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Until the Last Day
Every year, there is a point in which I think, “I have done everything I can for my students. I don’t know what else to do?!” This usually occurs during the weeks after our standardized test. I teach third grade
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The AZ Teachers Professional Development Pilot Program
Attention all STEM teachers, do we have news for you!! With all the doom and gloom this past legislative session there is one piece of legislation that is going to make a difference in Arizona and that is our bill
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We’ve failed our current students; we can to protect our future students.
For the past few years, I’ve started to really pay attention to my future students and their wellbeing. I think that those future students have my attention because I’ve come to realize that collectively we have let down our current
Read MoreVouchers Can Bridge the Income-Tuition Gap
Note: Some numbers from the Private School Review provide perspective for what follows: Currently, 64,353 Arizona students attend 478 private schools. Elementary schools charge an average of $6,268 per year for tuition and high schools charge an average of $17,116.
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Teacher Appreciation Weak
Ah, teacher appreciation week. I look forward to the handmade cards and homemade goodies, and if I’m really lucky, school supplies or a Starbucks gift card. But here’s what I really want for Teacher Appreciation Week. Stop undermining the teaching
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I’d rather be boating (instead of trying to find a 2nd job to pay bills)…
I recently emailed a previous supervisor, asking her if I could use her as a reference for a part-time job for which I am applying. She responded that she’d be “honored” to be a reference, but she also jokingly asked
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