For the 20 years I volunteered and worked at Flowing Wells High School, and we called ourselves family. For years, it was true. This defining characteristic pushed all the buttons a young, aspiring teacher could hope for. But toward the
Read More
Ready To Weather The Storm
Tropical Storm ‘Tuition’ may be about to clear up. And for many, that’s a relief, a sign of a better future, the dawn of a new day in education. The support for free tuition has increased in popularity over the
Read More
A Year of Saying No
Four post-it notes have been a constant presence in my home office since August. They’re stuck to the bottom of my Fellowship of the Ring movie poster, right above my computer monitor so they’re in my field of view whenever
Read More
Thank You Retirees
Last week, my district honored our retirees. As I listened to each of their accomplishments and accolades, I couldn’t help but worry about the loss of so many years of experience, wisdom, and knowledge. As the program went on, I
Read MoreGood-Bye Arizona
This might be the most challenging blog post I have written to date, for I am moving on at the end of this year. I am leaving the safety-net of the connections I have made, and the projects I have
Read More
Compliments and Appreciations
As the 2020-2021 school year comes to a close, I am reflecting on things that went well, what to bring into next year, what to leave behind, and where I need to grow. I have three more weeks of school,
Read More
Don’t Throw Out the Baby with the Bath Water
The 2020-2021 school year is coming to a close. Just like saying goodbye to the 2020 calendar year, I don’t think 2021-2022 is going to be a silver bullet of “normalcy.” I am hoping for some things to go back
Read More
Covid Kids: Learning Loss or Immeasurable Gains?
I recently read an online post in which someone described their frustrating year, teaching from behind a screen. They shared that this was a “lost” year for student learning. Yet, I wonder if that’s true. Did our students truly slide
Read More
Beyond the Standards
Most teachers, including myself, feel that standards are a significant part of the learning process. They help keep our students on track. They help us organize and develop our curriculum and our yearly scope and sequence. Students then take tests
Read More
Save the Lessons
“Throw away the bad experience, but save the lesson.” – Frank Sonnenberg I think we can all agree the last year has been a bad experience. One that has forced many unwanted and unsolicited changes. Change is inevitable. Sadly, this
Read More