After An Educator's Journey

Out of the classroom & into the universe

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Once upon a time, I taught 2nd, 3rd, and 4th graders. Now I’m retired and working on new ventures.
I taught second, third and fourth graders. Teaching was my passion and joy for 30 years. And it didn’t hurt that they called me “mom” sometimes.

Tag: character education

  • Advice from the Peanut Gallery

    Here’s some advice from my experienced third graders to my incoming students: Rase (sic) your hand because you are being rude if you are talking and it’s someone else’s turn. Raise your hand because there is no blurting 207. Pay attention because you might know what to do. Follow directions so you get smarter. Be persistent…

  • Responding to bullies

    I don’t like being blindsided any more than anyone else. So this week when our school social worker relayed to me that one of my student’s parents said her child was being bullied, I was taken aback. As a Responsive Classroom, we continually work on appropriate social interactions. As part of the Making Meaning program,…

  • Some thing to smile about

    Our elementary school, like many others, has a moment at the beginning of the day for school-wide announcements. In our school, the Morning Announcement also includes the Pledge of Allegiance and our school’s Learning Pledge.  Each morning, coming together as a school community, we recite both pledges together. As you can imagine, sometimes a student…

  • Hopes and Dreams, Part 2

    One of the nicest advantages of teaching is the possibility of multiple “fresh starts” throughout the year. There’s the obvious one — in the Fall, another after one report card period closes and another opens, and tomorrow’s: the first day of a new calendar year. Each start brings excitement and butterflies.  Obviously the unknown of…

  • CHOICES Character Education

    In my school, we have been grappling with student behaviors, choices and what to do about them.  Our Green Team – the staff guiding us to a cohesive K-4 plan – is incorporating and blending ideas from Ruth Payne’s outstanding book, A Framework for Understanding Poverty, Linda Albert’s book Cooperative Discipline, and Responsive Classroom. As…