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 More
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
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 More
What’s in an A?
In Arizona, school letter grades come out in the fall. I found out my school earned an A grade in October 2018, at a time when I was completely absorbed in my state’s election. I’m an Arizona teacher and I
Read More
Bilingualism is a Two Way Road
‘English Only’ Laws in Education on Verge of Extinction was the title that immediately caught my eye during my recent review of Education Weekly. The article, written by Corey Mitchell gave a brief overview of the history of bilingual education
Read More
To Don’t List- Give Yourself A Break!
“You are so lucky you get a two week break for fall break!” Yes. Yes, I am lucky. I am also unpaid during this two week break. My contract is for 202 days and these 10 days do not count.
Read More
Running 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 More
Inner Circle
Our brains are easily persuaded by self-talk. When facing adversity, it’s natural to think about doubts and harder to focus on the positives. Life, especially in teaching, is full of challenges. As I tell my students, “If you think you
Read More
Who 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 More