Yes, you do have to help everyone. I cannot tell you deeply it irks my soul when teachers give up on kids. Of course, if you asked them, they would insist that they haven’t given up. I disagree. Â Being willing to help a student who asks for it is not enough. It is not enough […]
classroom
Posted inLiteracy
Books Matter
I love books. There is something about them. The smell, the heft, the feel. . .The way kids respond. Because for all their complaints, most kids, most high schoolers, like books. Books matter. So my classroom is filled with books. So filled with books, it has become the smallest regular classroom in the building. Two […]
Posted inParents
More Rural Schools Journal: The Sick Day
On a recent Thursday afternoon, I decide to take a sick day. I just called for a sub to cover my duties tomorrow. I’m taking a “sick day.” My youngest, (of the three girls I have written so much about in the past) didn’t really want to go to school this morning, was clearly feeling […]
Posted inFrom the Front Lines
The Hardest Parts Of Teaching
These are the hard parts of teaching: Waking up from a nightmare where you’re out of breath and can’t find your classroom and are teaching in a foreign language to a group of kids who could care less about being there and you wonder, when you wake up, how that part of your fears will […]
Posted inBack to School
OMG – My Feet are Killing Me! Back to the Classroom
I think the chart below pretty well sums up my first week back in the classroom: Day of the Week Wardrobe Sleep Pattern Monday Navy blue pants Suit and navy pumps 5:00 AM – Alarm goes off and I  enthusiastically get out of bed to start my day. 3:30 PM – I’m home and spend […]
Posted inAsk a Teacher
Top 5 Things Every Teacher Should Do Before School Starts
Have the teacher dreams started? Does your heart pound when you see the school supply section at Target? While you’re relaxing on the beach, have you defaulted to lesson planning over novels? To help calm your nerves, I’ve compiled notes about five top things every teacher should do before school starts – and guarantee you’ll […]
Posted inConfessions of a Teacher, High School, Instruction & Curriculum, Special Education
The Grieving Year: A Major Professional Error
During the 2014-2015 school year, I landed a brand new job. This teaching gig seemed to be exquisitely designed for me. I had just received my Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing, and I was excited by an opening at my county’s most prestigious arts school. The job ad for a creative writing […]
Posted inHigh School, Literacy, Special Education
Dewey in 2016: Still Relevant?
When I was pursuing my master’s in education, I spent a great deal of time examining the philosophies of various critical theorists. Vygotsky, Piaget, Freire, Montessori, Gardner, Pestalozzi and a whole host of other big educational names became part of my courses of study. Knowing these philosophers and their perspectives even helped me pass Florida’s […]