Dealing with Trauma Induced Emotions in Children
Pointers for Parents are regular inspirations to bring hope and encouragement to parents. I hope to build a bridge between parents and teachers as it pertains to the education of children and how we can work together for the betterment of our kids. Dealing with Trauma Induced Emotions in Children I have done enough work with … Read More
Education Reform
Tidbits for Teachers are regular SHORT inspirations and tips to bring hope and encouragement to teachers in all settings. I hope to give you a shot in the arm and remind you why you chose this career in the first place. Education Reform Education reform has been talked about for as many years as there have … Read More
Facing the Unknown
Facing the Unknown We could have never expected a pandemic to upend our world. It is like something out of a movie plot. As parents, it has caught us all totally off guard, and uncovered some of our deepest fears for the safety of our families. The unknown is at the core of most of … Read More
How to Tell it is a New School Year
Tidbits for Teachers are regular SHORT inspirations and tips to bring hope and encouragement to teachers in all settings. I hope to give you a shot in the arm and remind you why you chose this career in the first place. How to Tell it is a New School Year You know it’s the beginning … Read More
11 Things Your Child’s Teacher Will Not Tell You
Pointers for Parents are regular inspirations to bring hope and encouragement to parents. I hope to build a bridge between parents and teachers as it pertains to the education of children and how we can work together for the betterment of our kids. 11 Things Your Child's Teacher Won't Tell You Gearing up for the … Read More
Survival
Tidbits for Teachers are regular SHORT inspirations and tips to bring hope and encouragement to teachers in all settings. I hope to give you a shot in the arm and remind you why you chose this career in the first place. How to survive the last two weeks of school: Smile and nod. Take deep … Read More
6 Gift Ideas for Teacher Appreciation Week
Pointers for Parents are regular SHORT inspirations to bring hope and encouragement to parents. I hope to build a bridge between parents and teachers as it pertains to the education of children and how we can work together for the betterment of our kids. 6 Gift Ideas for Teacher Appreciation Week Teachers do not do … Read More
Testing Week
This post is a combination of my two regular series Pointers and Tidbits in celebration of testing week. Pointers for Parents and Tidbits for Teachers are regular SHORT inspirations to bring hope and encouragement as we set about educating our children. Testing Week It is testing time. The week we have all been dreading all … Read More
Spring Break
Pointers for Parents are regular SHORT inspirations to bring hope and encouragement to parents. I hope to build a bridge between parents and teachers as it pertains to the education of children and how we can work together for the betterment of our kids. Spring Break. Those two words just have a lilt to them, … Read More
Close Your Door and Teach
Tidbits for Teachers are regular SHORT inspirations and tips to bring hope and encouragement to teachers in all settings. I hope to give you a shot in the arm and remind you why you chose this career in the first place. Close Your Door and Teach Teachers have many jobs beyond teaching, and supposedly … Read More
Teaching Respect
Pointers for Parents are regular SHORT inspirations to bring hope and encouragement to parents. I hope to build a bridge between parents and teachers as it pertains to the education of children and how we can work together for the betterment of our kids. Respect seems to have gone the way of the dinosaur in … Read More
Don’t Forget Who You Are
Tidbits for Teachers are regular SHORT inspirations and tips to bring hope and encouragement to teachers in all settings. I hope to give you a shot in the arm and remind you why you chose this career in the first place. Don't Forget Who You Are Are you bogged down yet? Are the looming test … Read More
Winter Blahs
Pointers for Parents are regular SHORT inspirations to bring hope and encouragement to parents. I hope to build a bridge between parents and teachers as it pertains to the education of children and how we can work together for the betterment of our kids. A new year is a new start. It is true for … Read More
A Gift
Introducing – Tidbits for Teachers are regular SHORT inspirations and tips to bring hope and encouragement to teachers in all settings. I hope to give you a shot in the arm and remind you why you chose this career in the first place. A Gift The parties are over. As you wade through the crumpled … Read More
Common Core
Pointers for Parents are regular SHORT inspirations to bring hope and encouragement to parents. I hope to build a bridge between parents and teachers as it pertains to the education of children and how we can work together for the betterment of our kids. Common Core They’ve been around for a while now…the Common Core … Read More
Holiday School
Pointers for Parents are regular SHORT inspirations to bring hope and encouragement to parents. I hope to build a bridge between parents and teachers as it pertains to the education of children and how we can work together for the betterment of our kids. When the holidays roll around each year, you can hear the … Read More
Surviving Christmas
Introducing – Tidbits for Teachers are regular SHORT inspirations and tips to bring hope and encouragement to teachers in all settings. I hope to give you a shot in the arm and remind you why you chose this career in the first place. Surviving Christmas During holidays students are wound tighter than usual. The anticipation … Read More
8 Ways That Slow and Steady Wins the Race
Pointers for Parents are regular SHORT inspirations to bring hope and encouragement to parents. I hope to build a bridge between parents and teachers as it pertains to the education of children and how we can work together for the betterment of our kids. Slow and steady wins the race. We have all heard that … Read More
Historic Events
Introducing – Tidbits for Teachers are regular SHORT inspirations and tips to bring hope and encouragement to teachers in all settings. I hope to give you a shot in the arm and remind you why you chose this career in the first place. Historic Events On the heels of a historic event, life goes on. … Read More
Working With the Littles
Working With the Littles I started working with kids when I was in high school. In fact, one of my first jobs was working with preschoolers at Kindercare. Later on, armed with my degree and my extensive experience as a 20-year-old, I took on a first grade classroom. That was before I moved on to … Read More
A Prayer
A Prayer Father God, I come to you on behalf of the educators, parents, and students that are beginning another school year. I bring them to you and lift them up. Please impart your wisdom. Calm the jitters that come with every new year. Give the teachers creativity to teach lessons in ways that sink … Read More
Entertaining Strangers
Tidbits for Teachers are regular SHORT inspirations and tips to bring hope and encouragement to teachers in all settings. I hope to give you a shot in the arm and remind you why you chose this career in the first place. Entertaining Strangers Hospitality is not something I typically associate with teachers…not in the sense … Read More
I Am an Addict
I Am an Addict I have an addiction to school supplies. Crayons, glue, paper, folders, scissors, markers…even index cards…I have a collection of all colors from neon to pastel. Don’t even get me started on the containers in which to put all my newly acquired materials. Let’s just say I should own stock in The … Read More
Tidbits for Teachers
Introducing – Tidbits for Teachers are regular SHORT inspirations and tips to bring hope and encouragement to teachers in all settings. I hope to give you a shot in the arm and remind you why you chose this career in the first place. Tidbits for Teachers Pre-planning. The time of year for meetings, trainings, and … Read More
Lifelong Learners
Lifelong Learners On my summers off from school I find myself in different relaxing places…the beach, or hiking through some forest, or visiting family. In the midst of my “downtime” I am struck with how exhausted I truly am from the previous school year. The rejuvenation is much needed, in fact, usually it takes a … Read More
A Shot in the Arm
A Shot in the Arm Moving a classroom is a lot like moving a house. There are boxes and boxes of stuff and you always wonder where it all came from. I cringe at the amount of money I have spent on teaching supplies. How did I get so much? I regularly purge and I … Read More
Us vs. Them
Us vs. Them I think in education we have divided ourselves into two groups. Us vs. Them. Us being the teachers and Them being everyone else including politicians and all levels of administration. Each group has their own point of view. Each group is determined that theirs is the correct way to look at things. … Read More
A Good Point
A Good Point As a writer, I love to connect with my readers. I love to hear your thoughts and have conversations about how my words impact you. I like it when you share these things with me, and give me additional ideas to ponder. My latest series on education, and my resignation from it, … Read More
Grassroots
Grassroots I think teachers are so bogged down in the day to day responsibilities of educating our children that we have missed an important point. A vital reality. Maybe it is the sheer number of tasks on our plate which seem to be ever increasing, or maybe we are just unaware…either way the truth is … Read More
Testing Tips
Testing Tips Tips for testing… Get out of bed Yes. You have to. Coffee More coffee Deep breaths SERIOUS prayer time Wear your lucky shirt and socks and underwear Hold your head up high Look confident Hope that you pull it off Don’t let them see you sweat Prepare for the test Give blood, and … Read More
Dear Teachers
Dear Teachers Dear Teachers, I know it is testing time. If you are not in the midst of it now, you will be soon. I wanted to take a moment of your precious time to tell you that I see you. I mean, being a teacher myself I think I can say I “get it,” … Read More
Milestones
Milestones I recently witnessed a startling phenomenon. A little background first. A woman with a child, a baby really, sitting talking baby babble. I used to do that with my own and so I know the age of the child is somewhere between 6 months and a year. It always amazes me how moms intuitively … Read More
Word of the Day
Word of the Day I have been teaching kids to read for nearly 20 years. It is my love to see understanding light up their little faces. It is my joy to watch their eyes shine with recognition of newly acquired words. As part of this passion of mine, I get to teach Greek and … Read More
Last Day of School
Last Day of School We have a tradition at my school. On the last day, after the buses are loaded, we all meet at the end of the bus circle and wait. When they pull out, as every single bus goes by, we wave and cheer. I swear the buses are all leaning to one … Read More
Children Are NOT Widgets
Children Are NOT Widgets Making widgets is a complicated business. The environment has to be just so. The machines and technology must work properly. Those on the line must do their jobs with precision. Quality control must check and recheck each product to assure all are up to standard. If one wire isn’t attached correctly … Read More
First Day
First Day They come with eager faces, and new clothes. They come with nervous almost-teary eyes, and shiny full backpacks. They come with smiles and hugs for their friends. The floors shine like mirrors. The paint is fresh, the rooms are colorful with new paper and themed posters. Teachers look rested after a long summer … Read More
Lessons Taught by Blue Birds
Lessons Taught by Blue Birds To remind us that teaching is about far more that testing…. There is a blue bird house outside our classroom window. A favorite pastime has been watching the continuous activity around it in the spring each year. The male is the first to appear, checking out the place to see … Read More
My Friend Mildred
My Friend Mildred I first met my 93 year-old friend Mildred nearly a decade ago when she answered an ad in the paper I had placed for help with a project for my students. We became fast friends as she cultivated a love of poetry in my students. Before I knew it she had uncovered … Read More
True Heroes
True Heroes With any disaster there are stories of heroes that emerge. I have noticed in the past couple of disasters a new group that has emerged for performing courageous actions. They are the teachers. It may be surprising to some, but repeatedly we hear of teachers standing between their students and life threatening circumstances…literally … Read More
An Inspirational Moment
An Inspirational Moment You know those inspirational moments? The ones where you are just moving through life, and suddenly something happens which makes time stand still? Something which you know will be remembered amidst the ordinary days as a stand out? I had one of those on Friday. A few weeks ago we had a … Read More
How to Build Emotional Intelligence in Your Child
Pointers for Parents are regular SHORT inspirations to bring hope and encouragement to parents. I hope to build a bridge between parents and teachers as it pertains to the education of children and how we can work together for the betterment of our kids. How to Build Emotional Intelligence in Your Child Most of us … Read More
Conference Days
Tidbits for Teachers are regular SHORT inspirations and tips to bring hope and encouragement to teachers in all settings. I hope to give you a shot in the arm and remind you why you chose this career in the first place. Conference Days Conference days are long and full of stress. A balancing act between telling … Read More
How to Build Self-Confidence in Kids
Pointers for Parents are regular SHORT inspirations to bring hope and encouragement to parents. I hope to build a bridge between parents and teachers as it pertains to the education of children and how we can work together for the betterment of our kids. How to Build Self-Confidence in Kids I have been hearing lately … Read More
Be the Salt
Tidbits for Teachers are regular SHORT inspirations and tips to bring hope and encouragement to teachers in all settings. I hope to give you a shot in the arm and remind you why you chose this career in the first place. Be the Salt Are you bored yet? The weeks between Labor Day and Thanksgiving … Read More
Dealing with Report Cards
Pointers for Parents are regular SHORT inspirations to bring hope and encouragement to parents. I hope to build a bridge between parents and teachers as it pertains to the education of children and how we can work together for the betterment of our kids. Let Them Fail Just the thought of report cards causes the … Read More
Seasons Change
Tidbits for Teachers are regular SHORT inspirations and tips to bring hope and encouragement to teachers in all settings. I hope to give you a shot in the arm and remind you why you chose this career in the first place. Seasons Change The light has changed. It is soft and golden. It shimmers down … Read More
Let Them Fail
Pointers for Parents are regular SHORT inspirations to bring hope and encouragement to parents. I hope to build a bridge between parents and teachers as it pertains to the education of children and how we can work together for the betterment of our kids. Let Them Fail You read that title right. Let your kids … Read More
Be Still
Tidbits for Teachers are regular SHORT inspirations and tips to bring hope and encouragement to teachers in all settings. I hope to give you a shot in the arm and remind you why you chose this career in the first place. Be Still Labor Day. The first holiday of the school year. It always seems … Read More
Reluctant Readers
Pointers for Parents are regular SHORT inspirations to bring hope and encouragement to parents. I hope to build a bridge between parents and teachers as it pertains to the education of children and how we can work together for the betterment of our kids. Reluctant Readers I hear over and over again parents (and teachers … Read More
It’s Not About Test Scores
Tidbits for Teachers are regular SHORT inspirations and tips to bring hope and encouragement to teachers in all settings. I hope to give you a shot in the arm and remind you why you chose this career in the first place. It's Not About Test Scores As teachers it is hard not to have your … Read More