Self-Reflection
Start Where You Are
Somewhere along the way I learned that writers should write what they know. There is a lot of discussion about the merit of this advice, but I interpreted it to mean that the best place to start is the place where you are. That idea applies to a lot of things in life, and for…
Read MoreHow
When I was in the 2nd grade, our class got in trouble on the playground, and our teacher had us come inside and write an essay on how we would act the next day. She was mad. And she was not from North Carolina. She was from somewhere up north where they wore heavy coats…
Read MoreLessons Learned
July 1 is equal to New Year’s Day at ERG. Our work revolves around the school year, and most schools and school systems start fresh on July 1st. If staffing changes are going to be made, they usually happen at this time, along with funding and resource allocations. We’ve gotten used to this rhythm of…
Read MoreWho Can You Control?
Take a look at this diagram below: The circle in the middle is you. The circle around the dot is what you can influence. Everything outside of that circle needs to be taken off your plate. Because it is not yours. This is a simple idea with some important details: What you focus on will…
Read MoreVision Check
If you don’t know where you are going, how are you going to get there? I have conversations with new teachers who are frustrated with student behaviors and feel helpless to make any changes. The bad news is that we really cannot control other people. The good news is that we can control our vision.…
Read MoreDon’t Ask
What did you get for Christmas? Did you have a good break? You may think this is polite chatter for your students as everyone falls back into the routine of school. These are normal questions that we all ask without thinking. We’re excited to see the kids and genuinely interested in how they spent their time. They are the…
Read MoreWhy You Need to Start Talking to Students
It’s not unusual for me to be in conversations with teachers and administrative teams where the following things are discussed: Data Books Other resources Family issues Objectives Lesson Plans Ironically, one of the things that is rarely discussed is what the students have to say. I find it odd that we continue to work around…
Read MoreFrom a Parent’s Perspective
A couple of months ago I wrote a blog called, “How to Deal With Bucket Dipping”. It provided insight into how children feel they deal with negative situations. As most schools are opening for a new year, I thought it would be interesting to look at how parents help their children learn strategies to overcome…
Read MoreWired for Curiosity
“Being curious is an essential part of human consciousness, a joyful feature of a life well lived. But as recent research evidence shows, fostering curiosity holds a power that goes beyond merely feeling good. In fact, curiosity may be critical to student success in school.” – Wendy L. Ostroff Children are hard wired to…
Read MoreBend, Baby, Bend
I have a great love for children’s stories! They are incredible teaching tools and always speak to my heart. Since this month’s theme at ERG is resilience, one of Aesop’s fables came to mind: Once upon a time there was a huge oak tree that lived on a river bank. It was very tall and…
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