My fifth-grade teacher was Mrs. Sharp. She left teaching shortly after my fifth-grade year to pursue a career in real estate. I like to work with the assumption she was encouraged to find a new path. At least, in the back of my mind, I hope so. However short her time in the classroom was, […]
I was about twelve, working in the yard with my dad, when our neighbor walked over. This in and of itself was odd, because these neighbors were not overly “neighborly” and did not often engage with others in the neighborhood. He approached my dad and exchanged a short round of pleasantries, and then announced he
Summer afternoons in my childhood meant endless possibilities for adventure. Our backyard opened to a sprawling field that beckoned with tall grass and mysteries waiting to be discovered. Between our property and that field stood a chain-link fence, not particularly tall, but tall enough to serve as a clear boundary. My mother’s warning was consistent
Whenever I see a V-neck t-shirt, I’m reminded of an event that occurred during my classroom teaching years — a seemingly small incident that revealed volumes about leadership and community building. During any classroom teacher’s career, if they spend enough time in the classroom, they’ll inevitably encounter leadership transitions within their school. I was hired
I grew up in a small town, that isn’t so small anymore. Today, my childhood hometown is quite large, pushing a population of 100,000 and still growing. However, back in the 70’s the population was 7,000. We had a Dog N Suds, an A & W Restaurant with a working fireplace in the middle where
All through grade school, my best friend was Betty. She and I were the greatest of friends. I looked forward to going to school and seeing her each day and have very fond memories of playing with her at recess and sitting next to her in class as there were several years in a row
If our students are to be the future leaders of tomorrow, we need to create a joy for learning that is inviting and meaningful. In this post I reflect on how educators can create a joy for learning through humility. It’s easy to get so caught up in the day-to-day tasks of teaching that
When I was young, I poured milk on my brother’s head. It did not go well for me. I remember the two of us being in the kitchen, and my brother sitting at the breakfast table with his bowl of cereal, waiting for me to pour milk into it. My little brother. I have a
Spring cleaning is a vivid and fond memory I have from childhood. Though, our spring cleaning happened in summer. We had summer cleaning. Mother was an elementary teacher, and used her summer break to attack a long to-do list. One of those items was to clean and organize our house. In June and July, she
January once again enters and brings its familiar gift of a new year. Professionally, for me, the New Year begins with e-mails filing in, committees forming, meetings being set, book reviews underway, and courses beginning. I feel the stress and excitement of launching a new semester with my students and genuinely look forward to getting
