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Trying Something New
I hear that some people thrive on change. They get excited about new opportunities; they seek out ways to shake up their lives; they love the challenge of fitting themselves...
Wheels: Adapting to Change on the Roller Derby Track and in Your Teaching Life
In roller derby, wheels are an important part of the game. Skaters change their wheels based on how much stick or slide they want as they play, adjusting for different...
Walking a Teaching-Readers Tightrope: Finding Balance Between Beliefs and Expectations
The history of teaching reading is often explained through the metaphor of a pendulum, swinging drastically from one side to the other, never stopping between. Educators are pulled along for...
Professional Math Resources for Right Now
My student teacher from last year sent a text this summer asking me, “Do you have any good recommendations for math professional development books that I should put on my...
Hidden Lessons: How Do We Cope with Challenges and Change? (Part 2)
In the first installment of this series, I talked about the growing importance of mental health awareness and social-emotional skills in schools. In my own state of Ohio, we now...
Thanks for the Feedback: Leaning Into Tricky Conversations
I finally had the class settled. The playground action outside our window had been hard to turn away from and caused playground behavior inside our learning space. After an interactive...
An Ode to the Anchor Chart
“Mrs. Parks, can you write those steps on a chart so that we remember what to do?” came a soft voice from the bunch. “Of course,” I said. Another voice...
Four Ways to Use Anchor Charts in the Classroom
Why are anchor charts disappearing from the walls of the classroom? Is it the shift away from the workshop model? Or perhaps, state-mandated curriculum? Have anchor charts become the proverbial...
Be Hard on the Systems and Gentle with the People: How a Systems Approach Can Reduce Teacher Burnout and Lead to Better Outcomes
I could predict the hour when I would receive the call. Cameron consistently demonstrated destructive behaviors during writing time—nudging a pencil off his desk, tearing down anchor charts. His teacher...
Hidden Lessons: Integrating Social-Emotional Learning in an Authentic Way
Mental health awareness and social-emotional learning are becoming increasingly important in our schools. As a high school teacher and a mom to adolescent daughters, I see the unique challenges that...
Work/Life Balance
I love summer. I love the sunshine, late nights, long hours with an old book, fresh air, my favorite soft T-shirts. Most of all, I love the freedom and the...
Books Are My Management Strategy
Books are my management system. For a decade, I worked to build a community of readers. No matter their level, their mindset, or their skill set, they were readers. The...
Creating a Space
I pulled open one of the heavy double doors and stepped into the library. I marveled that when we returned after the summer break, this would be the place I...
Take It on the Road… I Dare You!
Some of my favorite moments come from the time I spend with family and friends at our seasonal campground—a place where adventure is always just around the bend. It’s my...
Nonfiction Books for Compassion, Inspiration, and Heart
My class recently did a Mock Caldecott project, and I was surprised by how much I had been missing in the book publishing world. I discovered new authors and illustrators....
Setting Personal Goals for Math Independent Work
How do you take a practice that works so naturally in reading and apply it to mathematics? Does it work the same way? Does it have the same powerful effects?...
A Literacy Project Needed Math
I don’t know why I didn’t make time for a Mock Caldecott project earlier in my career. This past year was my second time using a text set of possible...
Developing Flexibility with Number Lines
The language we use with students can clarify meaning—or cause confusion. Imagine a second-grade classroom where students are learning to subtract. In an attempt to help students, a teacher tells...
Acts of Service: AI and Student Feedback
When your values are in alignment with your actions, you will experience greater satisfaction and authenticity. —Irina Cozma, "Values, Passion, or Purpose—Which Should Guide Your Career?" Harvard Business Review Lately,...
Beyond “I’m a Third-Grade Teacher”: The Power of Role-Specific Prompting in Educational AI
Everything is changing at warp speed with the landscape of AI tools for education. Many educators find themselves frustrated with inconsistent or underwhelming results. Or, worse yet, some default to...
Can AI Help with Assessment?
Recently, I tried something I probably wouldn’t have considered good practice one year or even six months ago. I used AI to help me grade essays. Faced with a pile...
