Recently, I was asked a question on the Planning Period podcast. “What do you think is the biggest problem in education?” I responded quickly and with one word: inequity. I say this because I’ve been studying how education impacts the social mobility of our students. Lately, I’ve been doing a lot of reading in the… Continue reading The Biggest Problem in Education
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.
The unknown can be scary. Especially when you are an adult, trying to figure out next steps, or your future is relying on it. Right now, the unknown is my reality. For the past few years, my husband has been working full time and taking high-level mathematics and economic courses. He’s been spending time learning,… Continue reading Embracing the Unknown
I was on the phone with my dad today, which is our Wednesday tradition, and we were having a conversation about education. It’s pretty typical for me to share what I’m up to with teaching and learning, and he usually has some input. He’s an incredibly fiery and vocal guy, clocking in at 5’5”, so… Continue reading Turn Off the Scoreboard
Close your door, and do what’s best for kids. I hear this sometimes. I’ve said this before. And from what I’ve gathered, the sentiment is not all that uncommon. Amidst all the district initiatives, required testing, and things we have to do, educators know when practices are becoming detrimental to our students. We instinctively know… Continue reading Stop Closing the Door
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
The shifts being made in literature, specifically young adult literature, in the past few years have been fantastic. While there are still huge gaps and underrepresentation, the direction it is headed is hopeful. The fantasy and dystopian genres, in particular, are doing an incredible job of shedding new light on current happenings in our world.… Continue reading The Power of Fantasy Novels
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
