3 Tips to Survive The Remainder of the School Year
Spring break is over and that means back to the classroom! Back to the excitement, back to the daily routines, back to the meetings and the grading, and back to …
3 Signs Your School is State Testing
It’s Spring Time and teachers know what that means….. No, not Spring Break. No, not kids losing their minds, either. That is happening, but that’s not the hot topic in …
Peppermints: School Gold
For whatever reason, peppermints seem to be a hot item in schools all across the country. Maybe it is because this is the go to “medicine” when you see the …
Beanboozeled: The Ultimate Way to Bring People Together
‘Tis the season for school morale to decrease. Most educators would describe this time as crazy and chaotic. Maybe it’s because of the weather. Maybe it’s because of standardized tests. …
Game Shows Aren’t Just For Grandmas
I LOVE game shows! Maybe that makes me 65 years old, but I just can’t help myself. A bucket-list item for my life was to appear on a game show. …
Beans + Plastic-Ware = Science!
Beans + Plasticware = Science! Nothing says science quite like some dried beans and a plastic fork! This week my students when on an awesome adventure into a forest as …
RtI: Relationships Totally Influence
With the start of 3rd Quarter comes the start of a new enrichment cycle. The word enrichment or RtI often causes teachers to cringe, roll their eyes, moan, or a …
The Goal Crushing Re-Mix!
I’m just going to get right down to the point. New Years Resolutions suck! Want to know why? It’s a 365 day commitment and most of us don’t have that …
Teachers Need a Boost
Ever wake up in the morning and hit snooze 7 times? Straight up, I do this every morning! It takes me at least 15 minutes to gradually transition out of …
School is like a Box of Chocolates
I have a confession to make… I re-gifted something FROM a student TO my students. Is that bad? …. Upon further reflection, I don’t think it’s bad. In fact, I …
The Red Carpet
The first full week back to school after a huge break can be rough. There are times when you aren’t sure if the kid is just deep in thought or …
Welcome Home
A school is more than just an educational building. It is a place of friendship. It is a place filled with opportunities. It is a place with trusted adults. It …
Tying Us all Together
Schools are created to be a tremendous learning environment. Schools teach math, science, reading, and so many other great subjects. But my favorite thing to teach is life. I LOVE …
The Holiday Family Dinner
Food brings people together. It doesn’t really matter if it is a feast or a snack, when people share conversations over food something really special happens. One of the most …
The Epicness of White Elephant
Nothing says happy holidays quite like a Ziploc bag of ketchup packets. This past week my advisory family celebrated the end of 2017 with a little white elephant gift exchange. …
The Unfortunate Reality of the Candy Cane Gram
‘Tis the season for lots of different fun little fundraisers! At my school the hot money maker right now is the infamous Candy Cane Gram. I get SO pumped up …
Holiday Spirit Week
The week before Winter Break…. The time when kids are on their best behavior, they are turning in all assignments on time, they are respectful and kind to teachers, and …
Field Trips Can be Wonderful
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to sit through a movie in a dark theater with 132 middle school students? I can explain that situation in one …
3 Reasons Why Great PD is like Great Exercise
I like spin class. Like a lot. I used to be really into running and now I’m really into not running. I actually run away from the ideas of 5ks …
Swatting to Succeed
Normal teacher tools: pencil top erasers, 3-hole punches, Ticonderoga pencils, and Excedrin migraine. Innovative teacher tools: fly swatters! Seriously. I use fly swatters in my class all the time. Not …
If You Really Knew Me: Thankfulness
I have a huge extended family. It consists of 130 7th graders. We don’t sit around a dinning room table and eat turkey together. That kind of meal makes tummy …
The New Trend in Education: Knee Scooters
Do you remember when the cool, trendy thing was getting injured so you could design your crutches? Special wash cloths wrapped around the arm pit holders, colorful duct tape with …
Veterans Day & The Evolution of Awesome
A year ago I was on a 180 day journey. It was a journey of awesome. I made a pledge to myself, to my students, and to my profession …
Why Collecting Papers Should be an Olympic Sport
Any student who has ever been in my class LOVES paper turn in day. Any teacher who has ever seen me present knows why. Because I turn paper collecting into …
My Beverage of Choice is Applesauce.
Straight up, teacher’s don’t have time to eat. Seriously. When was the last time you packed a lunch with full intentions of actually getting nutrients at noon, only to realize …