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When teachers have administrative support that’s an ideal teaching situation, but the reality is that too often administrative support is not available. Thus, new teachers have the biggest problems and often leave the profession because of support of this.. .. Read more here...
There was a time (I suppose we’re still in it) when an endless stream of “trauma-informed” initiatives passed through my Facebook feed, e-mail inbox, and classroom. A lot of these offered some variation of mindfulness training for teachers or students..…. Read more here.
In each profession, there are people who rise to high visibility and prominence. There is an aspect of these people’s personalities and abilities that captivate others. The more people are captivated, the more they continue to rise…but should they? They say fake it until you make it, and some are still faking it, taking others along for the ride To read more, click here.
I know the title is a heavy one, but it’s a thought I’ve had since I started in this profession. I am in an abusive relationship with teaching. I know this isn’t everyone’s story. I see teachers all over Instagram discussing the love and dedication they have for their schools. …..Read more.
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We Teach Children, Not Curriculum
What happens when you feel more committed to the curriculum than the kids you teach? I’ve been thinking about this lately. It is my 11th year teaching, but it is my first time feeling immense [...]
Why Chick-fil-A Matters in my Classroom.
It was Christmas dinner 2017, and the talk was of a new (and only) Chick-fil-A opening in our central New York area. My family endorsed the taste of their remarkable chicken and delicious drinks. Discussions [...]
December 2019: Teacher Self-Care Calendar
To download the PDF, click here December2019.
[Opinion]I’m Tired: The Cultural Burden of a Being the Token Assistant Principal
“White people can be exhausting.” That’s the first line in Austin Channing Brown’s book titled, I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness. While this line is most likely jarring for some, [...]
“Why haven’t I learned that Harriet Tubman fought in the civil war?”
On a cold day in central New York, I had the fantastic opportunity to take 26 students to tour the Harriet Tubman National Park, located in Auburn, NY. After an enlightening hour, we loaded onto [...]
What Becoming a Math Teacher Leader Taught Me
Becoming a math teacher leader was never really on my radar. When I first started teaching math, I taught the way I was taught or how the textbook presented topics. Many of my students struggled [...]
Valuable Lessons from an Extremely Bad Professional Development
You know that something has gone wrong in a professional workshop when the experience starts to feel disrespectful. I sat in a workshop today from 9 am to 3 pm about a new math curricular [...]
Getting Children to Understand The Value of Teaching Shakespeare
Every year, I get to the part in my high school curriculum where I start to introduce Shakespeare's Macbeth. And every year, the students complain. "Why do we have to read this?" "What's even the [...]
#RealTalk Why We Haven’t Quit Teaching
The past few articles I’ve written have been controversial. The craziest response I’ve received has been “Wow! Can tell you are young and have a long way to go! In fact get out now! Your [...]
Dear Teachers, Parents, and Teachers Who Are Parents: You Do Not Need To Trust Your Teen, They Need To Trust You
Teenagers are weird and stupid. They make rash, half-cocked decisions creating consequences that bring parents to their knees. Since our oldest became a teenager two school years ago, I have prayed so frequently that my [...]
Special Educator: What She Is and What She Isn’t
I graduated from with college dual licensure and degrees in elementary education and special education. This qualifies me to teach all subject areas grades K through 6 and special education grades Pre-K through 12. Inclusivity [...]
Self Care Won’t Solve Teacher Burnout. Organizing Will.
The Self Care Trap There was a time (I suppose we’re still in it) when an endless stream of “trauma-informed” initiatives passed through my Facebook feed, e-mail inbox, and classroom. A lot of these offered [...]
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Pre-Kindergarten - 1st Grade Classroom Tools