As a college athlete, coaches constantly challenged our team, especially in the weight room and at practice. Being “good enough” was not an option. They taught us to push through a last repetition or to finish a certain drill, because
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Lessons Learned from Missing the Mark
Parent teacher conferences are right around the corner. It’s the time of year when connecting with our families is the school-wide priority. As we prepare for the busy days and long nights, I’ve been thinking about the home/school connection. One
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There is a Forest in My Acorn
I was listening to a minister speak on the importance of recognizing untapped potential. He used an acorn as the example and expounded on all that it can become when put in its right environment. In fact, each acorn has
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Every Teacher Needs a Champion
Five years ago, I left my familiar junior high school to move to a new district and a new grade level. I was excited for a new challenge after teaching the same thing for 11 years and felt confident because
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Tech Troubles
Have you backed up your work lately? Because I hadn’t. And in the blink of an eye, all of it was gone. Quizzes, reading materials, practice grammar assignments, my final exam from last year, current data I had compiled- all
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Math Placement: A Tale of Two Districts
Math placement involves assigning students to a math class that best aligns with their skills and current knowledge. The default placement is grade level: 8th grade students take 8th grade math. But at every school, some students have advanced beyond
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Take Back Your Teachers’ Lounge
Pssst…I think something at your school has a bad reputation. No, it’s not the cafeteria! It’s the teachers’ lounge. Have you ever heard teachers make statements against the teachers’ lounge? They say things like: I don’t eat lunch in the
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If I Knew Then
I recently watched a video about teachers writing letters to themselves on their first day of teaching. I was so inspired that I asked our mentors to facilitate this for our district’s new teachers and to bring these to our
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Invisible Impediments & Patio Plants
In order to water plants on my patio I must complete the following steps: Fill a cup with water in kitchen sink Walk to patio door Move sliding blinds Unlock sliding door Open sliding door Open screen door Step outside
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Developing PD Attitudes
It was week 5 of the school year. In my work with beginning teachers, relationships were growing, trends were starting to emerge, and similar questions were beginning to become commonly asked. This year, however, the most common theme of the
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