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“I know who I am, I know what I can and can’t do, and I know what I will and won’t do.” ~Dolly Parton There is a lot of confidence packed into this one sentence. Not the kind of confidence that says, I can do everything. The kind that comes from knowing yourself well enough to understand your strengths, your limits, your values, and your boundaries. That matters in education. It matters for teachers who are constantly being asked to take on one more thing. It matters for lead

My daughter is a newly minted high school freshman, which means we are entering that season of welcome emails, syllabi, expectations, routines, and introductions to the people who will help shape the next four years. This week, I received a welcome email from her Global History teacher that made me stop for a moment. It was honest. It was refreshing. It sounded like a real educator talking to families about what students were actually going to experience in the classroom, not

In retirement, my “start of the school year” looks different than it did for most of my career. I am not reviewing opening-day schedules, preparing for faculty meetings, checking staffing lists, worrying about transportation, troubleshooting technology, or wondering what completely unexpected issue might appear before the first bell. My mission and purpose have not changed. I still believe deeply in the work of schools. I still believe in children, in educators, in the power

When I used to observe sample lessons from teacher candidates, I always watched for something that was not written into the lesson plan. I watched for presence. Not performance. Not volume. Not charisma in the showy sense. Presence. Sometimes the lesson itself was not the strongest part of the interview. The objective might have needed tightening. The pacing might have been uneven. The materials might have been ordinary. Yet, there were moments when a candidate walked into th

“Before we rush into summer, may we pause long enough to notice how far we have come.” ~Dr. Catherine V. Addor June has a way of pulling us forward. The calendar fills with celebrations, ceremonies, deadlines, final projects, closing tasks, and the promise of summer waiting just beyond the finish line. It is easy to move so quickly toward what is next that we forget to honor what has already happened. Students have grown in ways that may not fit neatly on a report card. Teach

I stood in my kitchen, papers spread across the table, my child close to tears. The work was complete. Thoughtful. Careful. Done with intention. What was missing was a staple. Points were going to be taken off. Not for misunderstanding. Not for lack of effort. Not for gaps in learning. For a missing piece of metal. Our stapler had run out of staples, and I couldn't find a box of replacements. In that moment, I felt something shift, not as an educator, but as a parent. knew

“The work of education is to build both minds and communities.” ~Linda Darling-Hammond Education is often measured through academic outcomes, grades, and test scores. Those indicators matter. A deeper purpose exists at the heart of education. Schools shape the way people learn to live together. Classrooms are places where students learn how to listen to different perspectives, work collaboratively, solve problems, and contribute to something larger than themselves. Learning e

“A good education can change anyone. A good teacher can change everything.” ~Marva Collins Education opens doors. It introduces new ideas, expands understanding, and creates opportunities that might otherwise remain out of reach. Yet behind every meaningful educational experience stands a teacher who makes that learning come alive. A great teacher sees potential before a student sees it in themselves. They ask questions that spark curiosity. They encourage perseverance when l

One of the most important lessons teachers help students learn has little to do with content standards or assessments. It is the lifelong skill of accountability. Learning to make one's own choices, reflect on actions, and understand consequences is part of becoming a responsible member of any community. Teaching accountability in schools rarely happens in a simple environment. Teachers work at the intersection of student needs, family expectations, school leadership prioriti

Fundamental Friday: Approach with a Candle “Some will see your flame and want to blow it out… others will approach with a candle.” —...

As we approach the end of the academic year, it’s worth pausing to remember this simple truth: what we’ve learned, about ourselves,...