Is today a double whammy for you? If a Friday the 13th has you avoiding ladders and black cats; well that could be a whammy. What could be the second whammy? That would be a Friday the 13th full moon! Super spooky, right? I find a full moon mesmerizing. It’s so spectacular! No one has…
Teacher Challenges
It’s all About Perspective
The next time you think teaching is unbearable, I encourage you to bring to mind this photo. Yipes! This past Tuesday five loggers (lumberjacks?) were in my backyard removing three trees that had thankfully stayed upright this past winter. I hated to see the trees go and at the same time I’m relieved they’re gone….
Easy Resolutions to Keep?
What?? Resolutions that are easy to keep? We all know that keeping a resolution is much easier said than done. So when I saw the words easy and resolutions in the same sentence, I had to investigate. What I discovered is that it really depends on your personal goals. (You knew that didn’t you?) I…
Ding Dong
Have you ever considered using a wireless doorbell to assist you with classroom transitions? I recently discovered that several teachers do. “How clever!” I thought. I was searching online to find out if these wireless ringers were expensive when my tech savvy colleague, Karen, says, “I bet there’s an app for that…” And there is!…
Thank Goodness!
Teachers, rejoice! This year, April Fools’ Day falls on a Saturday. I’ll admit that I can be a prankster at times. Yes, one year I did prank my dear dad into thinking I was single and pregnant. I now understand that this was not funny—but at the time I was, well, immature. I recently read…
Should We Stop Telling Children They Are Smart?
“You are soooo smart!” As quickly as the words left my lips, I muttered to myself, “I’m not supposed to say that.” Now granted, I was talking to my pooch who had just brought her KONG toy to me for our workday ritual (a dab of peanut butter before I leave for work). However, pup…
Problem Solvers
Many issues of The Mailbox magazine Preschool edition have a feature titled “Problem Solved.” Let’s face it, being in a classroom with a herd of children can present some problems. And it’s always good to know what other teachers do when faced with these problems. It’s great to provide some answers for classroom challenges! So…
Do You Prefer the Positive?
I don’t know about you, but my Facebook feed is pretty much filled with two kinds of blogs, articles, and memes. Negative, snarky content Positive, inspiring, and funny content And never is this more true when I see content about teachers. I see lots of items that make me smile or say, “Yay, teachers!” or…