IEP Writing 101
Just to give a little background on myself. I am a graduate of James Madison University (JMU; and former student of Dr. Jen Newton)! I remember after my first day…
Reacting VS Responding
Yell and sit…sit and yell, get a little louder, be a little firmer…they’ll eventually listen-right? Wrong. I walked into a room recently where an educator was sitting on a bench…
Recess Is A Right
I posted a picture on our social media of a tweet from the 2006 MN Teacher of the Year Dr. Lee-Ann Stephens that read: Advice to a new elementary school…
We Need To Talk About Punishment
Recently, after working with teachers on shifting our approach from punishing to teaching, a teacher in attendance emailed me saying, "At first, I wasn't sure I was going to "buy…
Embracing Failure
I am a big fan of mistake making. Well, not the making of the mistakes part so much but of the learning from mistakes, expecting mistakes, embracing mistakes. What if…
Course Evaluations as Thoughtful Feedback
It's that time of the semester again. Course evaluations. True confession time: I don't actually read mine. I am far too thin skinned for that. I send them to a…
When Social Media & Professionalism Mash Up
Scrolling through social media, as I often mindlessly do, I am repeatedly reminded of the powerful educators with whom I am in community. It is not my community. It is…
What Teachers Want: Are You Serious?
In the wake of yet another school shooting, the government and members of the media are beating a familiar drum: more guns, not less, will put a stop to our…
Behavior is Communication
I'm a big believer that words matter. Words are powerful and, despite that "sticks and stones" rubbish, words can certainly hurt us. Therefore, when talking about "behavior management," by the…