The Real World
What is this "real world" you speak of? Who defines it? Is it the same "real world" for everyone? I was recently in conversation with colleagues about class attendance. Now,…
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…
Teaching is Political
In teacher education programs, we have a responsibility to prepare future teachers for the civic profession of education. For me, this means registering students to vote in my classes, advocating…
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…
Things I Know
Children learn through experience. It is our duty, as educators, to enhance and strengthen children's opportunities to explore the world, while also modeling effective communication and positive relationships. Children are…