Overcoming a Fear of Failure: Growth Mindset in Action
Just recently, I talked about self-love, self-worth, and avoiding self-doubt. But today, I wanted to talk about failure, specifically a fear of failure. This blog
The Importance of Teaching Values for Students
I saw something pretty incredible on a Saturday night. It was stunning, beautiful, fun, a little crazy, and surprisingly inspiring. It was Taylor Swift in
A Simple Guide to Classroom Setup at Sixth Grade
By mid to late July every year, I can’t wait to go back to school and begin my classroom setup. I miss grading papers. I
Differentiation and the Brain and Why Curriculum Matters More Than Ever
There is a moment every teacher knows well: You’ve planned a lesson you feel good about. You deliver it clearly, yet you still see wildly
7 Young Adult Books Every Middle School Teacher Should Read
You can know a lot about someone by what they choose to read in their free time. A reader who gravitates toward horror stories may
Why I Made My Daughter Complete Standardized Testing
When I was teaching full-time, I had plenty of opinions about standardized testing. After stepping out of the classroom, I had to face something a
Pi Day Math Activities: Bringing Fun to the Classroom
Have you ever mentioned Pi Day and suddenly your students are more interested in math than they were five minutes earlier? Maybe it’s the promise
Effectively Using Response Cards for Formative Assessment
Formative assessment is one of the most valuable tools we have as teachers because it gives us real-time insight into how our students are doing.
Why I’m Leaving Teaching Mid-Year
I never imagined I would be leaving teaching mid-year. For years, I thought I would spend my entire career in the classroom. Teaching wasn’t simply
Differentiated Activities that Help Students Learn
There was always a point during the school year when I could feel the gap between my students growing wider. Some of my students finished
A Highly Effective Classroom Seating Arrangement
If we had to rank our teacher tasks from top favorite to our least, many of us would probably be placing seating charts towards the