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.
Category: The Craft of Teaching
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A colleague of mine once referred to No Child Left Behind as No Teacher Left Standing. We laughed – later we cried – and now, speaking just for myself here, we are just plain depressed. It matters not how diligent an educator is about keeping up with research and data, the stream of new initiatives…
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It is a reward unlike any monetary bonus or plaque. I can’t speak for other educators, but I live for the moment when there is that small, fleeting glimmer that there has been a connection between students and teacher. At this time in the school year, I am still sorting out student learning styles and…
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This past Thursday – our last day of school with students – was bump up day. And once again, for about the 28th time in my life, I started building a community with a group of 8-year olds. They look like an interesting group. Definitely some wigglers, some barometer kids, as the Sisters call them.…
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“My” babies are ready to fly to coop. In just 2 days my third graders will bump up to fourth grade. We’re both nervous I think: they of the unknown, me of fear that the preparations we’ve made for this day haven’t been enough. It has been a privilege to work with these kids. At…
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I started working on this a couple of years ago when I first was exposed to the Daily Five and Literacy CAFE. Gail and Joan – the Sisters – have since published a different Math Daily Five. I’ve continued with this version because it seems to work for my students – many are not strong…
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I used to look with envy at those spiffy Readers’ Notebooks available through a nationally known publisher. In fact I envied them so much, I figured out how to customize a similar notebook for my students to use. And while they seemed to work pretty well, I’ve come to realize that maybe the beautifully GBC-bound…
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Having read Notebook Know-How (Aimee Buckner) this spring; I’ve moved on the another of her books, Notebook Connections. Know-How is to writing as the Connections book is to Reading. What I am discovering though is that they both are interconnected – as they should be. At this time of year, many of us start thinking…
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Teaching is simultaneously instilling in a child the belief that she can accomplish anything she wants while admonishing her for producing shoddy work. As I read these words in a blogpost by Dennis Hong, the hair on the back of my neck stood up. Here in less than 25 words is what we do every…
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A while ago, our Literacy Coach began talking to us about revisiting notebooks as a means to developing writers and authors. I’m possibly the last person in education to discover Aimee Buckner and Notebook Know-How, but I am so glad I have made that connection. Not being a writer myself or at least not a…
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At our faculty meeting this afternoon, we spent some time trying to break down what are the essential characteristics for teachers in this small urban, multi-cultural environment. For most of those around me, with whom I could turn and talk, skill at curriculum was not an over-arching factor. Most of the teachers around me mentioned…
After An Educator's Journey 