I’ve been reading boys adrift by Leonard Sax, M.D., Ph.D. I’m from Boston, Massachusetts. When you’re from there M.D., Ph.D. is like crack to a drug addict. It gives you a speedy high. It is also like nutritious food and steady exercise for the body. It produces key information, superb results, and worthy of following….
When a Student has a Death in the Family
What you could do is a student has a death in the family.
How to Teach your Child to Read: When Mandatory Professional Development Prevents me from Doing just that…
I love teaching your child to read. I love crafting fun and engaging lessons. I love incorporating activities that allow movement, discussion, and outdoor exploration. However, the mandated professional development that is not tailored to my specialty removes time from my schedule and focus on teaching your child to read. The countless professional development I…
Childhood Development in Jeopardy: How You Can Make a Difference
Childhood development once a major focus in programs for preparing teachers, seems to be forgotten. The onslaught of standardized testing, the explosion of technology, and high academic expectations, appear to overpower learning and respecting developmental stages. What does “high academic expectations” even mean? That a toddler writes the dinner menu, adds up all the books…
Finland: Start loving the Finnish educational system
I became intrigued with Finland and what is happening in the Finnish educational system since reading, “The Smartest Kids in the World,” by Amanda Ripley. First Finland is the number one country in the world, according to the results of PISA (Program for International Student Assessment) test. The PISA test is not a multiple choice, regurgitated…
Stop promoting higher education for inner-city, low income students as the only way
I wish I could recall the first place I read about this. From that book, I had an ah hah moment; not all career paths require a college education. There are very specific professions such as becoming a doctor, lawyer, teacher (even that can be done these days without a degree, all those pop up…
The Stress of Reading: Benchmarks, Goals, Expectations, District Mandates, Policy Makers, Publishing Companies, and Former Teachers Authoring Reading Systems
This one is going to sting some of you. Some of you may even take the time to find me and write me or call me nasty names. Some of you may reach out to me because your child is stressed. Some of you may find me and ask me to help you, help your…
boys adrift by Leonard Sax, M.D., Ph.D. and Reading Beyond your Job Requirements
I read “Why Gender Matters“ by Leonard Sax, M.D., Ph.D. not too long ago. I wish I could recall the reason I picked it up. Reading that book led me to “boys adrift” also by Dr. Sax. It was at a time of intense desire to learn more about education, not simply the tried and true…
Coaching, Sue B. Zimmerman, and My Mission
I had a coaching session with Sue B. Zimmerman. Sue had success as an entrepreneur early in her life. She had an impetus within her as well as a model in her dad, who was a business owner. Sue loves talking with and helping people. She has grown into a huge success through her Instagram…
Students are not Scholars, yet.
Dear [Insert School Name]: First, I would like to say thank you for hiring [insert teacher name]. She made the days my son spent in her classroom inspiring and full of genuine care. I am a teacher of seventeen years who filled the roles of Literacy Specialist, Language Acquisition Facilitator, Literacy Coach, and Reading Recovery…
A personal perspective, well it is my blog after all… (wink wink)! I’ve been in teaching long enough to have seen the trends of let’s celebrate to “do not mention the word…” I’ve witnessed tons of candy, parties, celebrations, costumes, and sheer bliss pulsing out of the bodies of children. I have also seen the…
Essential Oils In the Classroom
Extra! Extra! Read all about it! That is how I feel about this topic! Would you drink phthalates? Would you like a plate of terpene? Do you enjoy the fresh air over formaldehyde? Do you feel responsible for the growing minds and bodies in your classroom? Would you ever want to harm the endocrine or reproductive…
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