Uncategorized

In an exchange in yesterday’s blog post, I wrote the following: Juliette…I wanted to plan for something more holistic. This was my first attempt at having everyone reading the same text. I usually just work off whatever students are reading independently. I’m thinking of doing several different kinds of assessments in the fall so that… Read more

Ever since I can remember I have done one-on-one reading and writing conferences with students. I like to think of these as “interviews” or “conversations”. Recently I did reading interviews with my students to culminate our year of online learning. I selected a fiction text on Epic and asked each child to read the first… Read more

I am trying something new on my blog. If I’m being honest, and I aim to always be honest, I’m a little scared to do this. But I’m itching to make a change. To make a difference. To get out of my way and into the world. So, I’m going to take a giant leap… Read more

I have been doing Lisa Sonora’s 30-Day Journal Project. I just finished day #7. Since the journal project is asynchronous, I am not doing it in 30 days, but spreading it out for as long as I want to. I do a prompt whenever I feel the need to be introspective because, for me, this… Read more

Every year it’s the same. We rush to the finish line because it feels as if we can’t get there fast enough. Report cards. IPPs. Farewells. Desks pushed against walls. Chairs stacked to the ceiling…almost. Walls bared. Books put away. Keys returned. Every year it’s the same. And when the last day arrives. The day… Read more

I had every intention of writing a #SOL to share on The Two Writing Teachers Tuesday Slice of Life Story Challenge last week. It didn’t happen, but I continue to write. I had every intention of finishing report cards by the first due date last Wednesday. I didn’t get there, but I continued working on… Read more

Another school year is coming to an end. My last day of work is June 30th. 22 more sleeps. I have so much to reflect on as I think about my 35th year in education. I had to learn quickly and create new ways of teaching online. I am proud that I dove in ready… Read more

As part of my cancer recovery, I made a commitment to myself to be more present in my life and to focus on what really matters to me. For years, I have been neglecting my physical and emotional health. I have been prioritizing work over friends and family. I lost years of my life worrying… Read more

I haven’t written a blog post in two weeks. In fact, I haven’t written much of anything in two weeks. And, I’ve just started to recover from a reading slump. Although I recently finished Mrs. Everything by Jennifer Weiner, I struggled to get started and to keep reading. And, earlier this week, when I picked… Read more

I have written about this before. Teaching online: the hard days. Well, today was a hard day. I literally sat for 7 hours. I skipped lunch. No water. No bathroom break. Nothing. No one to blame, but myself. Still trying to do everything humanly possible and more to engage my students even as I recognize… Read more