Category: Leadership
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I Believe in Believe
Last post, I referenced my favorite show of all time, The Golden Girls, in describing ways teachers can take care of themselves during the Disillusionment Phase of the school year. I want to continue sharing ways teachers can take care of themselves, and this time I’ll be referencing another one…
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The Real Difference Between “Turn and Talk” and “Think-Pair-Share”
This week, I was reflecting on a couple of strategies used often in the classroom: ‘Think-Pair-Share’ and ‘Turn and Talk’. Many educators use these terms interchangeably, but they are not the same strategy. It’s a common point of confusion, one I’ve even caught myself in. What if that small difference…
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How to Navigate the October Slump in Your First Year
If you know me, you know October is my favorite month of they year: the State Fair, Dallas Stars Hockey, Halloween, my birthday…However, October is also the time of the school year when things start to go a little off the rails especially for first year teachers. Time to pour…
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Our Voice, Our Schools
Advocacy isn’t an ‘extra’ for educators; it’s an essential part of protecting public education. This post is about understanding why our collective voice is so vital and how we can use it effectively. I made sure to have my extra spicy chai ready for this one. Let’s go! Why Advocacy…
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Beyond the Bookshelves
This week’s post is more a Love Letter to Librarians. It stems from my love of books and the many, wonderful friends I have who dedicate their lives to being the kind of educators and advocates we all need. With my cuppa ready; here I go. The Librarian as a…
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A Guide to House Bill 2 in Texas
This post is going to look at some changes to hiring practices for school districts. I needed to understand it better since supporting the new teacher academy in my district is a large part of what I do. There is a lot going on in this particular Bill, so I…
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From Overwhelmed to Empowered
Although my work involves supporting new teachers primarily, some of the ideas I am sharing in this post about getting the most out of required Professional Development may be helpful to experienced educators. I will be referencing Malcolm Knowles’ Adult Learning Theory, George Siemens’ Connectivism Theory, and the Learning Forward…
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Your Future Self Will Thank You: Tips for Avoiding Spreadsheet Chaos
Data is quite the buzz word in education when shaping learning for both students and teachers. I’ve been elbow deep in data recently and realized the importance of backward designing my Google Forms to generate a clean Sheet that I can manipulate easily. I want to share some of the…
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The Teacher’s Quest: Charting A Course for the Adventure of the First Year
School is back for many people, and as someone who supports new teachers, it is important to me that they understand what is in store for them this year. One of the best things I ever came across is “Phases of First-Year Teaching” by Ellen Moir of the New Teacher…
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Welcome to The OWL’s Perch: My New Community for Educator Mentorship
In my last post, I shared the journey of my Google Innovator project, a journey that began with a simple but powerful question: How might we invest in Gen Z educators to help them engage their Gen Alpha students? Today, I’m thrilled to introduce the answer I’ve been developing: The…
An Educational Cup of Tea 