I’m unsure if it’s because I’ve been in the classroom for 17 years or if I’ve made the choice to take on leadership roles, but I am often asked, “When are you going to become an administrator?” I always laugh.
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I Learned to Teach from Mr. Rogers
I didn’t love Mister Rogers growing up. I was more of a Sesame Street-loving gal, with the bright, feathery puppets and the emphasis on cognitive growth. It wasn’t until my little sister, a tiny blond hellion whose body never stopped
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Logical Steps Through Darkness: The Path Toward #NBCT
Are you working on National Board Certification or coaching NB candidates? I have this little mantra that’s become a good friend over the years. I want to share it with you and tell you what it means to me: Logical
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Learning Environment (Emphasis on “Learning”)
Today, after a short PD session introducing an upcoming focus for our faculty, I was once again bothered. Rather, I was nagged by a small portion of that self-doubt that engulfs me every January before AZELLA testing happens. Our principal
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Just OK is NOT OK
As teachers, we can get stuck in doing the same old lesson plans we’ve always done. “It’s easier” and “Most students get it this way” are common responses. When I hear these, frustration sets in as questions race through my
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Making Rainbows
Reflection is the most important thing a teacher can do if they want to improve. We were told this as preservice teachers and we’re reminded of it constantly. We all know we need to do more of it in order
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Thankful for Yes
“Hey, are you willing to try something in your classroom?” “Can I come in your class and test something out with your students?” “I just read about a really intriguing strategy, will you read it and see what you think?”
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Mental Health First Aid
There’s no way to describe the sound of toddler choking until you hear it. Once you hear it, you can’t forget it. A gasp? A wheeze? I saw his eyes. 4-year-old eyes. Eyes of a non-verbal preschool student with Autism.
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Story from the School Garden
In 2008, Lisa Moberg, now an NBCT and once a blogger for Stories from School Arizona, was teaching on a third grade team in a West Valley Title I school. The team had heard about the Western Growers Foundation grants
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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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