The lines in Target weren’t long yesterday but they were slow. Each queue had at least one shopping cart with thirty spiral notebooks, three packages of pencils, a half dozen packs of notebook paper, a stack of solid colored folders, and boxes of crayons, pens, and markers. I am intimately familiar with these items. They […]
Back to School
Posted inClassroom Management, Featured
Four Little Tips to Transform Your Classroom
This post was featured on Classroom Chronicle on Wednesday, July 23rd 2014 Another school year is almost upon us! Along with content, systems and management planning, thinking strategically about how you set up your classroom this year will boost student engagement and success all year long. How does classroom set up do this, you ask? […]
Posted inClassroom Management, Elementary School
In This Classroom We Do…
As you think about setting up your elementary classroom this year, start with your theme.  What interests or passions do you have? How can you share these with students to demonstrate life skills of persistence, listening with understanding, thinking flexibly, questioning, creating, imagining, learning from failure?  Our school-wide theme this year is CHAMPS and I am using […]
Posted inCharter Schools, High School
New Year, Same Song (Charter School Diaries)
Year 2 Week 1 (9/2 – 9/6) [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”] The beginning of any school year marks the chance to start over… students who wish to earn good grades and actually learn something; teachers […]
Posted inOpinion, Parents
Tips for "Meet the Teacher" Night
On September 12th, our school will hold what we call “Back to School Night,” or what other schools have dubbed “Meet the Teachers Night.” Whatever your school calls it, it’s a very fun and casual way for teachers and parents to meet one another. Yet for others, this is a nerve-wracking event – especially for […]
Posted inElementary School, Featured, Kindergarten, New Teacher Bootcamp
Setting Up Your Elementary Classroom
I have a photo book of my first classroom, seventeen years ago. The desks are piled in the middle of the room.  The teacher desk, my favorite item, was an old wooden desk. I still have it today.  In fact, I changed buildings 5 years ago with the stipulation that my desk goes with me. […]
Posted inClassroom Management, Opinion, Parents
Educating the Uneducated: 10 Things I Wish Every Parent Knew
I’ve been on both sides of the fence: the educator side and the parent side. I’m sure most of you have been there also. We’ve all had the families come through our classroom doors that we cannot wait to develop relationships with. You know the ones: they fill out every line on the volunteer form then add […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, High School, Middle School, Opinion, The Unemployed Teacher
The Unemployed Teacher: A School Year Begins…Without Us
I took it for granted. I took for granted that once I found my passion and had seven years experience under my belt with it, I was safe. My passion is teaching Social Studies – I especially love Civics and Sociology, but have taught everything from Global Studies to US History. I had developed and […]