Do you ever get that sense that you can make a big difference in one conversation? Two weeks ago, I bumped into a therapist who works at multiple campuses. We were talking about a different school where one of my
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The Perfect Pie
The crisp, hot air floods the room. The air has a scent of browned bread, and a hint of sweet berries. With a bit of effort, and a functional oven, a decadent pie emerges from the oven. While critics and
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Bracketology
Yesterday used to be one of my favorite days of the year: Selection Sunday. For those unfamiliar with the madness that is March, Selection Sunday is the day where sixty-eight NCAA men’s basketball teams receive their place in the championship
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COVID-19, 2020. When Districts Remain Open.
In the light of COVID-19 concerns, the familiar juxtaposition of professional athletes’ salaries to teacher pay takes on a new context. Why is every public event I can think of cancelled in every community I know, while many districts will
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Climbing Out of the Valley of Despair
I love, love, love the National Board process! I just finished teaching another pre-candidacy course in my district. This course gives teachers the tools, resources, and vocabulary to begin working on the National Board Certification process. The course can be
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What We Can Learn From Veteran Teachers
As a teacher, I spent my first couple of years eating at the “kids” table at lunch. I worked in a very veteran department where many of the teachers had been around for 10 or 15 years, if not more.
Read MoreTime Is Running Out
I wake up in the morning these last few months feeling like the clock is running out on me. It’s interesting to think that, essentially in the school system, January begins a weird sort of count down for me. We
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Spring Break is in the Air
I am counting down the minutes until Spring Break, which for me officially begins in 480 minutes! Between finalizing grades, holding Parent-Teacher conferences, serving on a district committee the past two weeks, doing my actual job of teaching my students,
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Music, Reading, and Math Oh My!
ROAR! Students march around my classroom like proud, royal lions as Camille Saint-Saens music plays. The month of March is known to come in like a lion and out like a lamb. That’s why I always use this active listening
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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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