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Have you ever had a reoccurring dream? One that you just can’t let go. That seemed to be the impetus that has me finally writing again! Over the past few years, I have been flooded with memories of lessons I taught, some went extremely well and some went terribly wrong. Something else kept creeping into my thoughts and that was, “What were the lessons I learned from my students? What did THEY teach ME?” As

The TRUTH About What Teachers REALLY Do All Summer I know what you are thinking. I see those pictures on Facebook and Instagram showing our teacher friends living it up! There they are partying, vacationing, shopping, girls’ weekends, spa days, fun in the sun, even adult beverages in hand. Well the truth is, every teacher should be able to unwind, rejuvenate, and enjoy some well-deserved R&R! Our teacher friends are also spending precious, quality time

Finishing Strong Finish strong became the theme for the New Orleans Saints during the season of 2009, thanks to Drew Brees. That was the season the SAINTS won the Super Bowl! As the end of another school year inches closer, I find myself reflecting on those words—finish strong. What does that look like, sound like, and feel like? THE PAST VS. THE PRESENT I can remember two distinct feelings as the last month or few

Just ask any teacher about managing the behaviors of a classroom filled with students and you will more than likely get an earful! It does not matter if they are kindergarteners or middle-schoolers. There are always challenges. Maybe it is the particular age group of the students or the fact that there are so many students in a classroom. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the use and misuse of the “time-out” chair. “Time

The Power of a Read-Aloud I can vividly remember my 3rd grade teacher, Mrs. Lemaire. She had short brown hair, wore glasses and was very business-like. She reminded me more of a secretary than a teacher. The year was 1966. Mrs. Lemaire would read to our class every Friday afternoon, 15 minutes before dismissal. When I tell you we ALL looked forward to her “read-alouds” that would be an understatement! She would read a chapter

How well do you know the children you teach? It seems lately, articles are surfacing as reminders of how important it is for teachers to be aware that every child sitting in the teacher’s class has their own unique story. One Child’s Story Many, many years back, there was a shy, blonde-haired girl, still 5 years old and fixing to start “big school,” (actually first grade.)  She was scared and apprehensive as most kids are