Fellowshiper. No, this isn't a type-o. It is not a spelling mistake. It is an app to download. I will have to confess I didn't know much about this app until yesterday. A fellow teacher has created this app and had, of course, told ...
We all have moments that stand out to us, imprinting themselves on our memories, but there is that one moment that seems to be foremost in our minds. For me, it was over 40 years ago (well over 40 years ago!). I was about 7 or 8. Christmas was always special. It didn't matter if we had plenty or 'just enough'. Dad and Mom made Christmas special. Christmas Eve always found my sister and I nestled ...
1. Prepare. Do everything, that you can, in advance. Get the presents wrapped, bags packed, the car loaded, fill up the gas tank the day before. Plan on things you need to avoid last minute trips to the store. If you are taking a contribution to the family feast, plan on something that will travel well. Casseroles that you can freeze, then place in a cooler in the trunk, work great. Appetizers are also a ...
Missouri Commissioner of Education finalist, CJ Huff, was quoted as saying that CCSS is not scary. In fact, he thinks it is great. There are five finalist for this position and apparently all of them support CCSS regardless of what voters want and what decisions the ...
Recently, I met with a small group to learn more about Common Core Assessments. I wanted to know what it would mean to the future of education. I found out far more than I ever wanted to know. From my first two blogs, Part One, the Standards ...
So, who wrote the standards? It seems to have almost happened overnight, although I know this is not the case. I've looked over the list and not one name is a familiar name in public education. Yes, some are college instructors, but how many have classroom experience working in general education and special education? Diane Ravitch has a blog post that brings some of these questions to light, as well as, ...
Myths and facts surrounding Common Core State Standards are as varied as the standards themselves. If you are like my colleagues and myself, you have listened to your administrators and simply thought that CCSS was just another initiative that would soon be replaced with the “next new thing”. But time has proven that this isn’t so. Once I realized that CCSS was not going away, I began researching and attending meetings, ...
Black Friday is traditionally a day of savings. Many of the teacher sites are throwing Black Friday events. I would like to urge you visit your favorite site and take advantage of the savings- some up to 50% off! If you can purchase a book of lessons to make your "school-planning life" easier, than do it! Some books offer enough lessons for an entire unit. Priceless! And just a little insider information about savings............ In ...
I'll keep this short and sweet since I know we are all in the whirlwind of activity. These suggestions are in no particular order. They are just some common sense suggestions that I have found helpful -when I do them! #1. Be reasonable in your expectations of yourself. Don't say "yes" when you should be saying "no". There is nothing dishonorable about telling someone no. It is far better to realize ...
How can one little word cause so much controversy? I don't understand the offense. I don't understand why is it taboo to call Christmas break- Christmas break. I don't understand why such a big deal is made by retailers about wishing customers a Merry Christmas. No one gets upset when someone wishes them a Happy Thanksgiving. And I've yet to see a mother tell her children to NOT wish her a Happy Mother's ...
It is that time of year. Time for bustling and rushing here and there. You had a great idea for a research paper. So creative. Covering so many goals. Now, you have to have it graded before the end of the quarter. Every. Last. Paragraph. And. Paper. What were you thinking?! You've been braving the unseasonably cold temps and watching children run and scream while the North Winds howled around you. You have caught ...
When the weather gets like this.... cold, windy, snow skies... I head to the kitchen. I love to bake and this is the perfect day for it. Unfortunately, I also love to eat what I bake! Today, was the day for cookies and such. I was kneading a batch of scones and thinking how like dough we are. We change shape and form often in our lives. We are often molded by events and circumstances. Trials ...
I promise not to do this often, but I am so excited about my latest 'book' that I felt the need to 'share' on my blog! For the last few weeks, I have been using every spare minute to put my multiplication book together. This week, I decided to put everything else on hold until I was finished. An Interactive Notebook for Teaching Multiplication was finally published at 9 pm! This book is a compilation of pieces ...
I admit that I am fascinated with fall. This has to be one of the prettiest falls that we've had in years. I am relishing the vibrant colors and the daily changes. The landscape seems like a quilt that is constantly changing under the Master's needle. Throw in the full moon and a herd of deer and you have a photographer's dream. My husband and I went out for a drive so we could enjoy the ...
This Tuesday, Nov. 4th, is election day for Missourians. Many important issues will be on the ballot. The statistics on voter turn-out are often shocking. What surprises me even more is the number of Christians that are registered to vote, but do not. Maybe this shouldn't surprise me, but it does. My Christian upbringing included lessons on responsibility. I learned at an early age ...
A brilliant red Maple leaf fluttered to the ground in front of me yesterday. This simple movement transported me back over 30 years ago to a mail room on a college campus. I was 18 and away from home for the first time. Needless to say, letters from home were my lifeline. I was determined to be independent, but at the same time I was sick for the familiarity of home. I opened the letter from my grandpa ...
"Pray for this kid?!!? You've got to be kidding, unless you mean pray that he moves away." Years ago, a wise colleague advised me to pray for a student that was driving me crazy. At first I thought she was already crazy, but she assured me that it would improve the relationship. I was reluctant. I didn't want to improve the relationship. I just wanted his family to decide to move 3 states away. I felt ...
Beautiful fall days like this only add to my enjoyment as I stroll to the mailbox. For some crazy reason, I've always loved walking to the mailbox. I love mail. The slow kind. Something that I can hold in my hands and read and re-read. I even like some junk mail (I said some). Today, when I opened the box, this quote jumped out at me "I want to be taught by teachers- not politicians." It was on an ad against ...
This was the beginning of my journey against Common Core. From an earlier post, My Thoughts on the Common Core, I explain how I felt at the end of my teaching journey at my past district. But this is how it all started. When Common Core first started, my colleagues and I were all told this was a change in curriculum. Our thought was "Here we go again. Another change." We moved on. ...
I just finished reading an article titled Why I Want to give up Teaching. I can relate to many of the things mentioned by the author. I had already been on this train of thought lately. I have so many questions rolling around in my head and not many answers. I have been reflecting on my years in the classroom and can sum it up with something like this: - I spent countless hours creating meaningful ...
I've been reading some other posts and noticing an increasing number of frustrated teachers and some that are even considering leaving the profession. I believe that teaching is a noble profession. However, at times, it is also one that will try even the most patient person. Demands are increasing, while resources are diminishing. It seems that most educators are being asked to spend more of their ...
A good friend of mine wrote a book titled "Let Teachers Teach". I liked the title then and I like it even more now. I can't think of anything that teachers want more than to just teach. I can't think of many teachers (although there are a few) screaming for raises, or more benefits, or more time off. The common wish list includes: treat us with respect, treat us professionally and fairly, and let us teach. ...
Sound familiar???????????? Dear Faculty and Staff, The BOE is pleased to announce that the district will be hosting a conference for all WEB leaders this Saturday. All TLCs will be in attendance. We hope to share more at this week's PLC on Wednesday and at the PTO and PTA meetings this Tuesday evening. Please save the date on your calendar. Furthermore, our PE instructors will be attending a conference ...
Why are veteran/seasoned/experienced teachers leaving the classroom? I shared one of the reasons I decided to take a break in my last post Reasons. I have had numerous opportunities to connect with new friends in the educational field through social media and face-to-face in the last few months. What saddens me is the number of seasoned teachers deciding to leave because of unaddressed problems ...
