Dear 6th grade class of 2020, I cannot tell you how proud I am of you. This year has not been at all how we expected it to be. Your first year of middle school, abruptly ground to a halt without notice. Leaving our classroom on a Friday, headed in to the weekend that ended… Continue reading Love, Mrs. G
We are living through a crazy time. That’s an understatement, for sure. But I’m not sure how else to put it. Everything is so uncertain and changing by the minute, that by the time I finish writing this, things will have evolved. In a video I recorded for my students, I told them that we… Continue reading Teachers: Feel your feelings.
This year has been hard. Not only have my husband and I been in a holding pattern, but I’ve also been struggling to find my place and my own direction. I’m constantly plagued by questions. Where are we headed? What do I want to do? Where do I want to go? How do I want… Continue reading It is enough.
Our voices are powerful things. Whether we express them verbally in person, through our words in writing, or any other mode of communication, they hold weight. They can be used to spread joy and positivity or to breed a negative message. In either case, they have great power. I was reminded recently of a TED… Continue reading One Word 2020: Voice
In 2019, my One Word was intentional. I set out the new year with a focus on being more intentional in my teaching practice, about my mental health, and generally in my life. I wanted to be more present in the moment and focus on eating healthier. I also wanted to grow professionally, continue writing… Continue reading Reflecting on #OneWord2019
I’ve been struggling lately. For about a year, I’ve felt a little confused, a little stagnant, and a little lost. I’m a goal-oriented person, and having achieved a few over the last year, I didn’t have a new one in mind. It was frightening. I’d been sitting in that place with no direction for awhile.… Continue reading Finding my people
At a conference today, Rae Hughart talked about the power of social media. It’s not the first time I’ve heard this message, and I know it won’t be the last. Educator use of social media is a popular topic right now, and it tends to be pretty polarizing. Teachers are either completely on board, usually… Continue reading Teachers: Twitter Can Change Your Life
“What you seek is seeking you.” -Rumi I received this beautiful note at NCTE from a fellow slicer and educator. Since I first read it, it has filled me with such light. Sometimes it is amazing to me how well strangers can know you. Last week, I got on a plane to Baltimore to attend… Continue reading On Gratitude
Being at NCTE is a surreal experience. I have spent the last few days surrounded by passionate, dedicated professionals, incredibly talented authors, and nearly my entire professional library—live and in the flesh. I’ve sat it sessions with educators from all over the country and learned from their expertise on social justice, LGBTQ rights, literacy development,… Continue reading The Smartest Person in the Room is the Room
“Sometimes the greatest PD is the teacher down the hall.” This quote has been circulating on social media for awhile now, and I personally could not agree more. We can learn a lot from our colleagues. It benefits us to build these collaborative relationships and get out of our classrooms to go see other teachers.… Continue reading Supporting New Voices
