When we do return to our classrooms, our lives are going to look different, that is clear. But how different? No one knows, but one thing we do know is that some students took part in family time, camping, building
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Virtual Classroom Community. Can It Be Done?
You know the feeling. The one when you walk into a classroom where the students and teachers are working together towards a common goal. The room feels warm and inviting. The kids are participating because they trust their teacher and
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A Good Me Makes a Great Them
Before planes depart, flight attendants tell passengers, “In case of an emergency, put your oxygen mask on first before helping others.” This intrigues me. I have always thought, “Wouldn’t you want to be selfless and help others around you first, especially children?”
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Reflections of a Teacher Saying Goodbye
As my twenty-year classroom teaching career draws to a close, I feel the need to share my reflections and important things I’ve learned. There is nothing more important than classroom community. First and foremost, classroom community affects student behavior. It
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Seeing the Bright Side
My mom is a textbook definition of the eternal optimist. She sees the bright side of every situation through her rose-colored glasses. Her self proclaimed nickname is Pollyanna. I did not inherit this trait from her. I, on the other
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Having A Support System Important Now More Than Ever
We were all caught off guard by the Coronavirus. When I heard we weren’t heading back to school for the rest of the year, I began to panic. Like many of you, I began asking myself: “What am I going
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What Happens When We Get to College, Mrs. Clark?
One of my favorite aspects of being a teacher is talking with the kids. Just talking. Asking them questions about themselves, their friends and families, hobbies, other classes, after school activities, and future plans. I sit back listening as they
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Why Am I Teaching This Way?
Have you ever thought, “Why am I doing this activity? What is the point?” A common response from veteran teachers is something like, “I’ve done it this way for ___ years!” A few years ago, I would say something similar
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I went through the line at Dutch Bro’s this holiday, and in true fashion of their business model, it takes only seconds for them to ask if I had any New Year’s Resolutions. I sat back and thought about it
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What Makes a School Great?
I drove by my school at 6:30 pm Sunday. Teachers and staff weren’t due back until Monday morning, but my school buzzed with the enthusiasm of a Friday night football game. Pop up tents, propane firepits, camping chairs and tents,
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