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.
Tag: teaching
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It is terribly difficult to keep one’s focus on the things that are important – the “prime directive” for those of us who grew up on Star Trek – no matter what your profession. For me, the prime directive is to encourage children to be curious, to encourage them to take learning risks, to encourage…
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What is my purpose in life? I was asked that question recently and my white glare honest answer is, I’m still working to uncover that answer. My purpose has been defined differently at every stage of my life. At different times, my purpose has been defined by different roles: daughter, sister, wife, mother. Each role…
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It’s going to be a bumpy night.” I love this quote from “All About Eve”; and coming straight from Bette Davis’ mouth – well you can imagine the delivery. The more thinking is done about the implementation of the new mathematics curriculum frameworks – the Common Core – the more it becomes apparent that this…
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I have a new definition for “March Madness” and it has nothing to do with playing a sport. This March, we have the following on our docket: MELA-O (ELL assessment), MEPA (ELL written assessment), District Math Benchmark, MCAS Reading, and report cards. And of course there are always assessments for RTI/TAT tracking and reading progress…
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Is there anyone else who is sick of being told they are a money-sucking, taxpayer-draining leech? The amount of misinformation that pops up in comments on newspaper websites, in the press in general, in conversation is head-shaking to me. After reading Joanna Weiss’s op-ed column in today’s Globe, I decided it would be worth sending…
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I realize that this reference to a classic Bill Cosby routine makes me one big, giant fossil, but I can’t resist making a connection after this week. First of all, is should we all be building arks here in New England? Around my house we have 7 foot snowbanks created after the nonstop deluge of…
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If you look, if you don’t avert your eyes, you can see the effects of poverty and trauma on a person. One of “my” parents happened to come to the classroom this week so I could confirm she was indeed the parent of one of my students. This was so that the student could be…
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It came to me as a sleep-filled message. One of my current charges is a real behavioral headache. This child has witnessed more trauma than anyone should, let alone anyone who is just 9 years old. And, as you might expect, the child has many behavioral tics that get in the way of his —…
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This morning’s Boston Globe contained an article about a (former) software engineer who had recently turned teaching yoga full-time. Struck by similarities to our circumstances, got me thinking about my own career. It is not a secret that recent developments in the field of education are not all that enjoyable for practitioners. We worry if…
After An Educator's Journey 