After 14 years in the classroom, I became a consultant, speaker and author. I gave up my own classroom to dedicate my life to making it easier for other teachers to work effectively in theirs. At the root of everything I do is a profound respect and appreciation for teachers and the challenges they face…. Continue Reading
Category Archives: TEACHER INSPIRATION
Teachers Matter
At a time when what it means to be a teacher is being defined by everyone except teachers, we need to remind ourselves of these two undeniable words: Teachers matter. After the tragedy in Newtown, CT, I published what became my most-read blog post ever; it generated so much traffic that my blog server crashed… Continue Reading
Words Matter: What Values Do Your Words Convey?
Words matter. I encourage people to choose their words wisely, because the words we choose have a powerful effect on other people. As this post showed, the words we choose matter not only for teachers, but for anyone else who plays an important role in someone’s life. Some decry “political correctness” when a class of people… Continue Reading
“It’s Time for TED Passion
This is why I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE TED talks and believe them to be one of the best sources on the web for learning, leadership, and personal development. Where else do you have access to the worlds most inspiring, informative, ingenious and innovative people talking about how they are going to do to change the world? John Boswell — has… Continue Reading
Starting the School Year Off Right
The 2012-2013 school year has officially begun for thousands of excited teachers and students. I love reading the stories and hearing from schools who have planned to make this year a remarkable one. The faculty and staff in Orange City Iowa have kicked off a new school year with a bang. In this opening message… Continue Reading
12 Most Genius Questions in the World
One of the things I love most about being around young children, is their passionate and fierce sense of curiosity. It defines their genius. Why is the sky blue? Who discovered the world? How did the sun get so hot? Where did toothpaste come from? And my favorite: Are we there yet? I’m not sure… Continue Reading
The 5 C’s of Passion Driven Leadership
“Passion is one of the most powerful engines of success. When you do a thing, do it with all your might. Put your whole soul into it. Stamp it with your own personality. Be active, be energetic and faithful, and you will accomplish your object. Nothing great was ever achieved without passion.” Ralph Waldo Emerson I had… Continue Reading
Lessons from the Sandbox
As a teacher, I’ve seen extraordinary things happen in the sandbox. From friendships being formed to brilliant dreams explored, the sandbox was the place where we created, shared ideas, and learned to love, trust, and depend on one another. Somewhere between grade school and grad school, we have moved away from the sandbox and through… Continue Reading
Nominations for the 2011 Edublog Awards Now Open!
It is time to say #YOU MATTER to your favorite Edublogger or Edutweeter. Each year our community becomes stronger and wiser because of an amazing group of individuals who blog, tweet, and fill our heads and hearts full with their ideas and resources. Their contributions give us access to cutting edge information, insight, and inspiration… Continue Reading
The 12 Most Important Ways to Let People Know They Matter
The measure of a life is not what that life accomplishes but rather the impact that life has on others. Jackie Robinson When I think of people who made the biggest impact in my life, it was not their expertise or accomplishments that provided me with the direction, guidance and reassurance I needed to accomplish… Continue Reading
‘Twas the Night Before Conferences: A Parents’ Perspective on Parent-Teacher Conferences
It is once again time for the annual parent teacher conference. Tomorrow, I go to school not as a teacher or consultant, but as a mom. My children’s teachers have been busy gathering data, tallying homework assignments, and finalizing grades. All in an effort to share with us how our kids are progressing and how… Continue Reading
World Read Aloud Day Skype Project
After reading about the World Read Aloud Day Celebration, Josh Allen tweeted this fantastic idea: And that tweet lead to this tweet: And now thanks to Wendy Gorton and the SkypeClassroom Project, we have these Tweets: And the wonderful result, is on March 9 2011 in Celebration of World Read Aloud Day, Classrooms around the… Continue Reading
