Amethyst Hinton Sainz, Author at STORIES FROM SCHOOL AZ

Taken By Surprise

March 6, 2016Amethyst Hinton Sainz Life in the Classroom, Professional Development, Uncategorized

One joy of parenthood is a surprise from your children. More than once I have come home to a miraculously clean kitchen, or a “restaurant” in my honor. I love it when my kids make big plans behind closed doors.

#Cakefail

February 2, 2016Amethyst Hinton Sainz Assessment, Life in the Classroom, Mentoring, Professional Development

Ever since the Bill Murray movie, Groundhog Day has become an icon for the repetitive patterns in which we find ourselves, patterns which must be improved incrementally over time, because they are so much a part of how we operate.

Awards Season

January 6, 2016Amethyst Hinton Sainz Current Affairs

It is awards season. December through March seems to be a neverending parade of people of the year, bright stars and shining examples. And, let’s face it, America is obsessed. Winners sell magazines, jewelry, shoes, and movie popcorn. We tune

Is Our Energy Renewable? Professional Capital Part II

October 29, 2015Amethyst Hinton Sainz Current Affairs, Education Policy

Sustainability. Staying power through wise choices. I have heard people argue the causes of global warming, and the best human response, but I have yet to hear anyone attack the core value of sustainability. And it has become a metaphor

Should We Save a Slice for Charters?

September 19, 2015Amethyst Hinton Sainz Current Affairs, Education Policy

Donnie Dicus got me thinking about charter schools in Arizona. It disgusts me that corporations with absolutely no fidelity to Arizona’s children or communities can profit from money that is desperately needed in the traditional public schools to implement current

Why I Stay

September 9, 2015Amethyst Hinton Sainz Education, Life in the Classroom, Literacy, Love

I hope my readers will indulge me with this one. The Beatles play on vinyl in my earliest memories, and I have always enjoyed the playfulness, surreality and yet wisdom of their lyrics. On the topic of why I continue

Questioning RIF Realities in AZ: Professional Capital Part I

August 14, 2015Amethyst Hinton Sainz Education Policy

This fall, Arizona schools began the year with approximately 1,000 job openings for teachers. Stories on Arizona’s teacher shortage have abounded in recent months. Despite the need for quality educators in our state, did you know that hundreds of teachers

Everyday (and Every Day) Teacher Leadership

May 22, 2015Amethyst Hinton Sainz Education, Life in the Classroom, National Board Certification, Professional Development, Teacher Leadership

This year, I have been participating in the second pilot year of the Teacher Leadership Initiative. This program is a partnership among the National Education Association, National Board of Professional Teaching Standards, and the Center for Teaching Quality. Since August

What’s a Weekend For?

April 12, 2015Amethyst Hinton Sainz Uncategorized

This weekend I drove with my kids to their cousin’s birthday party. Friday evening, my daughter’s Brownie troop had a swing dancing workshop, so we left Saturday morning, and drove the 4 ½ hours back today. We took the dog

Mind Like a Civ(ics Test)?

February 10, 2015Amethyst Hinton Sainz Assessment, Current Affairs, Education, Education Policy, Social Issues

Should Arizona high school graduates understand civics? Heck, yes. What? I agree with our Republican-dominated legislative and executive branch on an issue? As in many other states, our state legislature and national representatives are elected disproportianately by older, wealthy white