You might have heard that I wrote a book for teachers this last June called Gatekeepers: Let's Talk About Teaching. If I were good at promoting myself, I'd offer the following reasons why you should read this book:
1. Even though it's written from an early elementary perspective, it spans the K-12 grade levels. I happen to know of a group of high school teachers who are currently doing a book study with it.
2. Teachers are busy, and this book is easily digestible. There might be 50 chapters, but they're teeny tiny. The average chapter is around 300 words.
3. When I read a professional book, I want three things. I want to be challenged, inspired, and validated. I think my book offers this.
4. According to my cousin Laurie, it's a book for humans, not just for teachers. I've heard from many people outside of the educational world who have read my book with their own lens and have found it worth their time.
You can buy Gatekeepers on Amazon, but you can also send me a message and I'll hook you up.
If you want to know more about Gatekeepers or have already read it and are connected to the Twitter World, join #IDedchat this Wednesday, November 1st at 8:00 MDT. We'll be chatting about it and would love your company.
We made these cute black cats today. They weren't that difficult to make, but it did take a certain amount of growth mindset. We practiced both optimism and persistence. All in all, well worth our time.
Go here to find the directions from Art Projects for Kids. She's got great ideas to share!
From the books I've read, to the book club conversations I've had, to the time I've spent in the Boise State Writing Project and Idaho Coaching Network, I'm consistently reminded that it's time to celebrate. It's time to notice. It's time to encourage and thank. Celebration is pivotal to a healthy culture.
With permission and encouragement from my principal, I created this bulletin board for my school's workroom and invited my colleagues to join me in Project Celebrate. The challenge is to write a note to each staff member before the end of the trimester (and repeat that two more times during the remainder of the year). There's a basket of colorful and inviting paper and cards on the workroom countertop, and each staff member received a list of names just in case they want to check names off as they write.
This is the kind of place I want to work at.
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I have twenty-four students so far this year, and I wouldn't be surprised if I gain a few more by May. This teacher to student ratio is not ideal. There's literally not enough of me to go around, which is why I cherish my parent volunteers and choose not to send them off to the teacher workroom to make copies, use the paper cutter, or do myriad other menial tasks. My parent volunteers work one on one with children.
I understand, as well as any other teacher, the amount of prep work that's required to do this job, and it adds to the daily stress and strain. But the children in my care are my first priority. Their needs are more important than my long list of projects that need attention. I can manage to get those things done, but I honestly can't always manage the many needs represented in my room.
So unless my children are at recess or a special, you won't find my parents in the workroom. You'll find them doing the most important thing that a parent at school can do. They'll be teaching.
What are your parents doing?
