Category Archives: Teaching

Seriously Terrific Energizing Activities that Matter: STEAM Education at one elementary school in Los Angeles

Posted on August 23, 2018 by Be Strong. Be Courageous. Be You

AltaSea is a gem of a place located in the heart of  Los Angeles Harbor.  Here, professionals in the business world mix with educators and service providers and all sorts of folks invested in the marine environment and the “blue … Continue reading →

Posted in Learning, Principal, San Pedro, STEAM, Story, Students First, Teaching, Teaching Strategies | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

THAT child

Posted on February 7, 2017 by Be Strong. Be Courageous. Be You

I read this blog post a couple of years ago  when it was first written.  I understood it then from a teachers’ point of view. Today it was shared with me again and I realized I have a whole new … Continue reading →

Posted in Child Matters, Learning, parenting, Passion for teaching, perceptions, Principal, Teaching, thoughts, Truths | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Learning in Public

Posted on October 18, 2016 by Be Strong. Be Courageous. Be You

I got to have a long-breakfast-lunch-time with a treasured colleague who’s become a heart friend last week. Thanks to a once in a blue moon Wednesday holiday from school, he – from the East Coast – Brooklyn – and me from … Continue reading →

Posted in Child Matters, Learning, Step up, lean in, lead., Teaching, thoughts | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

Anatomy of a teaching point

Posted on September 13, 2016 by Be Strong. Be Courageous. Be You

I received this text from a colleague this morning: What is the “how” in this teaching point? She queried. I read the part right under “Name your teaching point.” I thought about it. I have not read this entire lesson.  … Continue reading →

Posted in Passion for teaching, reading, Students First, Teaching, Teaching Strategies, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Let’s talk about Pokemon Go!

Posted on August 9, 2016 by Be Strong. Be Courageous. Be You

Educators are always looking for an in. Here are a few reasons we need to know something about Pokemon Go! before our students return to school this fall. The technology!  This is Google Maps and Google Earth, coupled with a … Continue reading →

Posted in games, Students First, Teaching, thoughts, Uncategorized, Yes | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

The Real Work of a Principal

Posted on March 10, 2016 by Be Strong. Be Courageous. Be You

When you find yourself sitting in the office of an elementary school principal, just about anything can happen.  It’s the same in a classroom. Just a smaller number of people involved. Same in a district office. More people involved. Exponential … Continue reading →

Posted in Principal, SOL2016, Students First, Teaching, thoughts, Truths | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Reading Non-Fiction with Power

Posted on March 9, 2016 by Be Strong. Be Courageous. Be You

I’ve spent some time thinking about how to help students read informational text.  If you’re an educator, you have too.  I’ve gathered a lot of strategies across years to further this effort. This is difficult work because often children want … Continue reading →

Posted in Child Matters, close reading, Learning, Passion for teaching, SOL2016, Students First, Teaching, thoughts, Truths | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

No More Sound it Out

Posted on March 8, 2016 by Be Strong. Be Courageous. Be You

We’re working as a school on improving our ability to grow students as readers. One of the ways we are doing this is by pulling students into small groups each day and reading with them. We use books that are … Continue reading →

Posted in Child Matters, Learning, reading, SOL2016, Students First, Teaching | Tagged , , , , | 10 Comments

If….

Posted on March 4, 2016 by Be Strong. Be Courageous. Be You

I saw this beautiful video posted on a friend’s Facebook page.  Go ahead, take a peek. When I watched this video, I realized something. I realized that I could actually feel each stretch, developee, tendue, demi plie as I saw the … Continue reading →

Posted in Body Movement, Child Matters, dance, Kinesthetic learning, Learning, reading, SOL2016, Teaching, thoughts | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

What is Reading?

Posted on March 3, 2016 by Be Strong. Be Courageous. Be You

Seriously.  Can we talk? Get ready because there just may be a rant brewing. Sometimes people who teach children to read will say things. And those things offend. Not because they’re intended to do so. Definitely not. Teachers are amazing … Continue reading →

Posted in Passion for teaching, reading, SOL2016, Teaching | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments