April 8th 2012
So, as in the movies, there is such a thing as “The Perfect Storm.” As I finally arrived at Goal 4, Reveal Their Strengths, I realized I have seen this message many, many times. You Matter by Angela Maiers … probably my introduction to this idea. Angela’s message is to encourage us to “evidence genius” [...]
Read On
No Comments
March 17th 2012
Once again, Shelly Terrell has astounded me with a goal that aligns with my personal philosophy as well as another site / information I’ve recently found an interest in. I have 4 children, and I am constantly amazed at their variety of interests and learning styles. So, how will I accomplish this goal as a [...]
Read On
No Comments
October 1st 2011
In speaking with a new teacher the other day, I was reminded of a principle found in a business I would use for my printing. Their philosophy was that there were 3 parts of the process … excellence, timeliness, and cost. As a customer, I was given the choice of 2 … but I could [...]
Read On
1 Comment
September 14th 2011
I find it amazing that every set of classroom rules, developed by either the teacher and/or the students, seems to always begin with respect. As humans (especially teenagers), we all crave respect; Aretha Franklin even spells it out in a song and with pipes no one will ever forget. In a lot of my new [...]
Read On
2 Comments
August 24th 2011
In my work with new teachers, I always knew there was a knack to classroom management, and my friends – Barb and Jacqueline – gave me the answer to what I practiced … the holy trinity of classroom management – beginning class, attention signal, and ending class. Part 1: Not sure where I received these [...]
Read On
No Comments
July 14th 2011
A wonderful part of teaching is the opportunity we have to finish a year, take time to plan, and begin anew the next year. Teaching is like the ultimate performance assessment – everything we don’t get just right this time, we can do it again better next year! One of the areas I always struggle [...]
Read On
2 Comments
May 28th 2011
As I was considering what to write about, I began reading some blogs of my favorite educators. As a new blogger, I have found wisdom and a value in writing from reading other posts. In honor of their inspiration this year, I thought I would promote their writing. 1. Justin Tarte’s Life of an Educator [...]
Read On
2 Comments
May 2nd 2011
Our district has adopted a new evaluation system this year. It is based on Charlotte Danielson’s Framework for Teaching. As our implementation began, our state legislature changed … and in hindsight, we can now see the wisdom of our leaders. Past In previous years, a teacher would receive – at most – two, 20-minute observations [...]
Read On
No Comments
March 14th 2011
Goal 21: Encouraging Creativity in the Classroom Our quote for this goal really does a good job introducing the concept of creativity in our classroom for students … “Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.” ~ Scott Adams Sir Ken Robinson said that we can’t be creative unless [...]
Read On
5 Comments
March 7th 2011
Goal 18: Share A Story With this goal, we are encouraged to share our story of how we have loved to learn in new, innovative ways. So this is my story … While reading an NBPTS brief, I stumbled upon a blogger, Coach G., and how he handled a simple classroom management issue. It was [...]
Read On
2 Comments
