Back to school---it’s here!
There are many emotions and thoughts about returning back to school. Excitement, joy, pressure, sadness and anxiety might be a few. It depends who you are, what kind of emotion you are feeling. Are you a first year teacher? Are you a veteran teacher and maybe it is your last year? Are you a new student to a school district? Maybe you are a graduating senior or maybe just moving schools within your school district? Are you a parent...
As you begin your new school year, I wanted to share with you something that I did to involve, engaging and build relationships with families----I call them “Family Forums”. I decided that Family Forums would not only become a normal part of building a successful reciprocal relationship with the families in my classroom but also a time to teach and learn from one another. My forums were a party for my families, not a meeting but a place to come and have fellowship with others. It was also a...
As we begin the new school year, stop and reflect on what new things you want to try. Ask yourself how you can make your lessons more engaging or hands-on? Do you need try new ways of differentiation? What about researching engaging ideas online or observing colleagues? Is there a professional development you have been wanting to attend?
At the beginning of each new year and after each teaching day, I like to reflect on what worked well and what I need to change. I would observe my...
It is the most exciting time of the year as teachers start returning back to school. Teachers and administrators are looking forward to the new school year. Many administrators think that this is a time for team building and professional development in the short time before students arrive. As a former principal, I learned that teachers are anxious to get into their classrooms and prepare for school to start.
What I was told was that our teachers appreciated how I approached the...
Summer learning has a huge impact on accelerating your child’s success for the fall. When the last bell rings for children to be out of school, it is a time for sleeping, spending time with family and friends, playing in the water, taking vacations AND LEARNING. Children love to learn. Keeping that spark of interest in mind you want to make sure to work with your child this summer so that skills and topics are not forgotten. It also gives you that special time to work with your child,...
As teacher professionals we are all leaders in some capacity. It is important as leaders that we show others how to be their best selves. We need to model for others and support choices and decisions. We must also build relationships that are reciprocal with faculty, staff and families we work with. I have been in several leadership positions, from a cheer sponsor, principal, Director of a Program at the University level, Coordinator of an...