The Prince stands up to me

Yesterday at our mentor/master teacher meeting, we met Wonder Woman’s replacement, and at her request, went through our end of the year notes on what worked, what didn’t, and what we want to do differently this year. I was rather pointed in Read More...

Why I teach preschool (instead of kindergarten)

Splatypus’s comment about my last post got me thinking about the days when I taught kindergarten in one high-poverty school after another. Kindergarten can be high-stress for a teacher. And not just because her students are living in poverty and Read More...

I know a school board member

She lives in my neighborhood. I saw her earlier this evening and after we chatted about vacations she asked, “how are things at work?” So I told her. The whole truth – about our test scores, and good people jumping ship, and the principal Read More...

Who needs preschool?

Does your child need to go to preschool before kindergarten? Does every child need to go? What do kids need to learn before kindergarten, anyway? I think preschool is great, but it isn’t necessary for everyone. If you are raising your child at home, Read More...

Organizing school supplies

I once worked at a school where every teacher had a plastic shoebox for each student to keep their school supplies in, and it was clear I was expected to do that, too. So I went out and paid for twenty-four plastic shoeboxes, and then tried to find room Read More...

a sad thing to see

A few years ago, I was in the teacher’s lounge, feeling exhausted. A middle school teacher (my school is preschool through 8th grade) asked how things were going, and I told her all about how difficult my kids were being. I then asked her how she Read More...