It was one of those teacher days… in the class I was observing a lesson in, the co-teacher called in sick and would be out for the rest of the week. A little one vomited in class and that made other children feel sick. The class, though rich in goodness, has their fair share of … Continue reading What Was Hard About Today?
Category: Teaching in the Moment
The Best Classroom Lessons are Right in the Moment Before You…
You can ask any elementary teacher… first year as well as those in their 30-something-year… there is something about a teacher’s ‘inner calendar…’ We somehow know intuitively to begin preparing inwardly for the year ahead… Mine comes in the form of early morning insomnia, woken by a growing to-do list that may or may not … Continue reading The Best Classroom Lessons are Right in the Moment Before You…
There’s Something Wrong with the Village
It is almost 4 weeks out since I had a total reverse shoulder replacement. My recovery is nothing short of a miracle. Not only have I had no pain, but the entire process has been surrounded by progress, support, and strength. This is my 3rd major joint reconstruction, and I can only explain it as … Continue reading There’s Something Wrong with the Village
Meaningful Magic in the Classroom
It’s the last day before spring break… when everyone in the school community is doing their best to hold it together until a much-needed vacation begins. Teaching is hard. I knew it during my 34 years in the elementary and special education environment. I see it now as a graduate-level instructor and student teaching supervisor/coach. … Continue reading Meaningful Magic in the Classroom
“It’s a great life… if you don’t weaken…”
Life is hard… there’s no escaping it… Sometimes I wish we could take the wisdom of the elders and apply it earlier on our journey to avoid so many of the inevitable mistakes that make up this adventure we call life… I recall in my late teens/early twenties, 6 inch heals were 'the thing,' and … Continue reading “It’s a great life… if you don’t weaken…”
Space To Test Their Dreams
I sat in the back row… far away from the spotlight of applause, directing, crowd controlling… in the elementary auditorium where I had co-directed the school musical for most of my teaching years there. Returning, I’d come to absorb some “kid energy” from the other side of the stage. What I received was more than … Continue reading Space To Test Their Dreams
We can invite them into our fold so that they don’t feel the need to destroy it…
Knowing yet another community has been decimated… Or that we as a nation have failed, once again, to make our country a safe land of opportunity. As an educator, I am not sure which is worse… I know that I am not alone in asking, what can we DO? I had just posted about how … Continue reading We can invite them into our fold so that they don’t feel the need to destroy it…
A SACRED STORY
Sacred, hallowed traditions have a way of settling into the quiet crevices of our heart. There they remain like glue; connecting what we experience in the early years of our life with who we become in our adulthood. One of the few remaining artifacts that reveals the sites history of this site My parents were … Continue reading A SACRED STORY
Eyes that Teach
This past week the area in which I live experienced the lifting of mandatory mask wearing, allowing schools to decide how to proceed with safety protocol. While some individuals still need to protect themselves, there was a refreshing sense of not only freedom but true inner liberty as educators and students faced each other person-to-person … Continue reading Eyes that Teach
Let it Be
The depth of your gaze, at times vacant, could look through me obliging me to stop... and be examined. In 1995, my mom had a massive stroke that left her with so little of what she had known for her first 67 years. Prior to that, whenever she and I visited the sick or elderly … Continue reading Let it Be