What happens when you take 30 middle school students to Zion National Park? Complete chaos, right? Actually, with the group I took last Friday, not at all. They were well-behaved and respectful – both to me, the other chaperone […]
How to give your kids a less-boring summer: Create a Summer Fun Jar!
School is almost out, but when it’s out, do you start to answer affirmatively to one (or all) of the following questions? Do your kids sometimes suffer from boredom in the summer? Are you pulling your hair out trying to […]
6 Totally Radical 80s Movies for Children 10 and Under
People who grew up in the 1980s have a heightened sense of nostalgia for that decade, remembering its fashion – big hair, pegged pants and the like – as well as its amazing synth pop – OMD and Erasure, anyone? But […]
Job loss, great opportunity
After hearing the news that I’d lost my second job seven years ago, I sat in disbelief, staring out the window and at the bookshelf in my cozy home office trying to make sense of the situation. “These types of […]
Show your appreciation: Thank a teacher this week!
It’s teacher appreciation week and I feel compelled to write something about it. Perhaps I’m biased because I am teacher – both at the middle school and college levels – but teachers play a huge role in positively influencing young […]
Failure: One of the best teachers and motivators
Over and over again, I have learned that failure is one of the best teachers. It is also one of the best motivators. For instance, failing and coming home early from what I thought would be a dream internship taught […]
Bloggers: A very supportive community (and I won an award!)
Since I’ve started this blogging adventure, I’ve found that bloggers are a very supportive group. For instance, one of the rules of a few of the blogging facebook groups I belong to specifically state that comments need to be kept […]
Everyone needs a National Park Bucket List!
I am a national park aficionado. I’ve spent a lot of time in national parks over the years, but still there is so much more that I want to do in the places that are “America’s Best Idea” as the title of […]
Achieve extreme flexibility: fly by the seat of your pants!
Two of my planned-to-a-tee colleagues were cursing the school district for which we work when it tweaked our A/B eight-period block schedule at the last minute at the beginning of the school year. It meant a day formerly an A […]
The parable of the tree stakes: celebrate independence and have patience
When we look around us and reflect a little, we can find meaning in the simplest of things, like hot air balloons or even scraggly trees. Nearly three years ago we planted an ash tree in our backyard. From the start, […]