There’s a special smell this time of year: a mix of sweaty kids and exhausted teachers. Walking around the hallways is treacherous as parents teeter past with arm-loads of teacher appreciation gifts and students race around like walking went out
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Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words…well, I think that words can hurt a lot. In a teaching climate with an ongoing teacher shortage and massive teacher attrition, I think we need to choose our words very carefully.
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This is a story about good intentions, bad implementation, and ugly consequences. But let’s get straight to the point: I’m talking about online preschool. Perhaps you just lowered your eyebrows and scrunched your face a bit. That’s what I did
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This week, leaders around the country offered their State of Affairs speeches. As the leader in your classroom, how would you respond if someone asked you to speak about the “State of Relationships with Your Special Needs Families?” How are
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Rigor: A popular buzz word in education today, this word is packed with meaning. It pops up in staff meetings, school mission statements, and parent conversations about school choice. Everyone seems to think that “rigor” is what kids need. But
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In 2010, the AZ State Legislature ended funding for a program called the Early Childhood Block Grant [ECBG]. The loss of money was a devastating blow to many school organizations. In the district where I worked, the ECBG funds were
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Do you ever feel a bit overwhelmed and frantic? If you are an educator, my guess is you said YES! Sadly, these feelings have become “normal” in our profession. We race around each day with little time to eat or
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As much as we throw around the term teacher leader in education today, I think the term can feel mystical. How does a teacher know s/he has become a teacher leader? Is there a special ceremony? A secret handshake? When
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Deep breath in. The beginning of a school year feels like a fresh morning in the mountains: new energy, new students, new staff members. Everyone is busy, but there is hopefulness. It reminds me of standing on the porch watching
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What an inspirational and transformative year for Arizona teachers! Many have found themselves speaking on behalf of their students in new ways—bold ways—to advocate for policies and practices that promote educational progress for their students. As I’ve seen teachers step
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