Difficult students — we all have them. Every single year. And they can seriously get on your nerves and drive you crazy. This is the time of the school year when everyone has been together for awhile and all are feeling pretty comfortable. This period of time between winter break and spring break can be… Read More

I am officially on winter break and enjoying my family and our Christmas traditions. I’ve been thinking about how much classroom routines are really all about traditions. No matter what holiday you celebrate, you and your family probably have several traditions that are significant to you. From food to decorations to activities you do at… Read More

We’ve all been there — feeling like something we’re doing is just not worth it. Here’s a self-care tip to help you keep going: Be an encourager. Wait, isn’t this tip supposed to be something that helps you? Believe it or not, this tip DOES help you. Whatever you put out in the world tends… Read More

When I think about the importance of building student relationships, I think back to my third year of teaching. That year I had a student named “Garrison” (names have been changed to protect privacy). I did not like this boy. He was passive aggressive, refused to do any work, and just sat there and grinned… Read More

You will think about leaving the classroom. It might happen after a few years of classroom teaching, or even just one year if it’s a tough one. Even if it’s still a mostly satisfying place to be and even if it feels like where you belong, you might wonder if there is something else out… Read More