Category: New Teacher
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And We’re Back! The January Reset
I hope you are all on the other side of Winter Break well rested and ready for the second semester. January is a unique time of year when students return and basically start over. That’s right. You have a first day all over again. Fortunately, they remember quickly classroom routines…
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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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How Cheesecake Solves (Almost) Everything
Last night, I laughed and laughed and truly enjoyed myself at The Bored Teachers Comedy Tour. Laughter is such a necessity in the field of education especially in our current situation with teacher shortages and budget cuts. Rather than continue to post about strategies, I decided to pivot to something…
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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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Press Pause: Turning Passive Video Watching into Active Learning
This week, I had the pleasure of walking through classrooms and seeing some fantastic curriculum resources in action. But it also got me thinking: having great materials is only half the battle. How do we ensure those resources translate into deep, lasting student learning? The chai is ready and so…
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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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Keeping Pace By Mastering Classroom Time
Pacing is a skill that can take time to refine. In this post, we’ll explore how one of the simplest tools—the timer—can become your most powerful ally in managing lesson flow. I have my cuppa ready. Why Timers are a Teacher’s Best Friend One of the most common issues I’ve…
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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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The Hero’s First Steps: A Survival Guide to August & September
As your Fairy Tea Mother, I plan to continue discussing the Phases of a First Year Teacher compared to the Hero’s Journey. I will post at the beginning of each phase throughout the year. In between will be regular posts about other topics. The tea is ready, so let’s start…
An Educational Cup of Tea 