TL;DR: Being a teacher is not for the faint of heart. Teaching is a calling. If you ever feel helpless, unappreciated, or want to leave the profession, don’t. Instead, REASSESS: remember, evaluate, affirm, seek, study, eliminate, survey, and shift. By nature, I am highly reflective. As a teacher, I often looked forward to ways to redo a poorly executed lesson … Read More
Expect the Unexpected
TL;DR: Substitute teachers need access to materials and detailed plans. Every teacher should have emergency plans prepared. Administrators can best help by being visible throughout the day. On February 3, 2011, I experienced a substitute teacher’s worst nightmare. I had accepted a two-day assignment at a new-to-me school. At first, things seemed to go well. I was greeted by the … Read More
Fixing the Substitute and Teacher Shortages
TL;DR: Schools all over the world have staffing shortages. Think creatively about where to recruit substitute teachers. What incentives can you offer potential employees such as sign-on bonuses or other perks? Treat your staff well and they will want to stick around. As I write this blog post, the United States is dealing with an unprecedented teacher and substitute shortage. … Read More
Choosing Not to Look Back
TL;DR: Looking back at the past can change who we are. Hope was the one word chosen for 2022—a message of hope that we can connect with each other. I know that I am not alone when I say good riddance to 2021. This past year and a half, the country was torn apart, other perspectives were not accepted, the … Read More
5 Tips for Building Classroom Community
TL;DR: Challenging classroom behavior is often why teachers feel burned out. Building a strong classroom community is a proactive strategy to support positive behavior. Some strategies to build community include morning meetings, closing circles, mindfulness, and more! I was a special education teacher for 10 years and have been in the field for 12. The classroom community is my bread … Read More