I took a new position this year, one where the teaching I’ve been doing is the same, but the paperwork is not, I am a special education teacher in a resource room for kindergarten through third grade. For those of you are new to the special education area (like me) and are literally wallowing in […]
New Teacher Bootcamp
What’s in Your Teacher Desk Drawers? Building a Survival Kit
Do you happen to have 63 pipe cleaners (aka chenille sticks)? Or a bottle of ketchup? You never know what you may find yourself needing as a new teacher. We are masters of thinking on the fly, especially when it comes to putting together a bang-up lesson, which means a lot of unexpected supplies. As […]
Budget Cuts? Don’t Take It Out On The Teachers – Or The Students
I spent the day today working with professional educators. This group of experienced teachers gathered to learn more about mentoring those just entering our profession. Technically, we’re there to participate in the California teacher credentialing program, which requires beginning teachers to partner with experienced support providers. But while I was sitting there, learning about learning-focused […]
Stories of a New Administrator
A little over a year ago I took over as the Director of the small, private school I taught at for six years and attended as a small child. Need it be said that I was thrilled? My staff taught by my side for several years and brainstormed with me for nearly a year. I […]
I Remember When Teachers Were Allowed to Teach Their Passions
There are few things that I enjoy more than getting students to question, analyze, write about, discuss, and, ultimately, clarify their own views on complicated questions. It reminds me of my own history teachers in high school and how they communicated their passions to us students. In one class, we were supposed to study American history […]
Veteran Teachers Vested in Change, Teach Overseas
For the first time in years, I’m experiencing the excitement that new teachers can relate to. I’m “nerve-cited,” a term my daughter coined for our move to teach in the Dominican Republic after 20 years in one public school in northern Vermont. I had to seize an opportunity to shake my foundations, ignite possibilities for […]
8 Ways For Teachers To Communicate With Parents in the 21st Century
In the 21st century, there is a multitude of ways to communicate with parents. I know a large part of the education workforce is comprised of ‘digital immigrants’, but with a little time and motivation, all teachers can (and should) utilize technology to increase communication with parents and students. Here are my eight favorite ways […]
Why I’m Quitting After Only Two Weeks of a New School Year
This year would have been my fourteenth year in the secondary classroom, but it won’t be after this week. With a brand new crop of freshly oriented students ready for the year ahead, I will be leaving them for a full-time professorship at the college level. On one hand, it’s a great opportunity – I’ve […]