Tag: learning

• Between Covers, Beyond Pages — From Reader to Writer and Back

  Sep 9

  Awaiting the publication of my first book has changed something I never expected: the way I hold a book in my hands. I’ve always loved books. As a kid, I… more ›

• First Days Without Cell Phones in School

  Aug 19

  Over the past few years, it’s become obvious: our students were living in two worlds at once—the real world, and the endless scroll. Heads down, thumbs flying, eyes glued to… more ›

• But I Just Wanna Play Catch

  Aug 13

  There was a time when the only thing that mattered was whether you could catch the ball. The sun burned hot on your back, the grass smelled like summer and… more ›

• The Glorious Absurdity of the First Day

  Aug 13

  Ahhhh… the first day of school. The crown jewel of the academic year. And this time, it comes after professional learning. Two glorious, soul-crushing days where you learned… well, you’re… more ›

• The Day Camp Diaries

  Aug 11

  When you hear “summer camp,” you might picture kids whisked away in vans, lugging haphazardly packed duffel bags, shipped off to some far-flung campground for a summer of “character building”… more ›

• Mischief Monkeys

  Aug 9

  Every kid, no matter the generation, knows mischief. It’s written deep in our DNA—the most primal way we learn as humans. It’s how we explore, how we test boundaries. It’s… more ›

• Will Work for Burritos… and coffee.

  Aug 4

  (Walks on stage holding a coffee mug like it’s a trophy. Sip. Slow nod.) You can tell a lot about a school… by looking at the snack table.Forget the mission… more ›

• Storytelling with a Camera

  Aug 3

  Photography is weird. You’ve got the people who treat their cameras like they’re nuclear launch codes—checking every dial, obsessing over ISO like it’s some secret recipe. Then there are those… more ›

• The Exploits of an Over-Active Neurodivergent Mind

  Aug 3

  I’m good at a lot of things.I’ve always been good at things.(Not bragging… just being honest.) Drawing. Painting. Sketching.Music. Hands-on tinkering (mainly taking things apart just to know). Cooking. Eating.And—surprise… more ›

• The Paradox of Connection

  Aug 1

  You’d think, as a high school dean, I’d have a crystal-clear picture of youth culture. I mean, I see it all—hallway drama, TikTok choreography in the quad, debates over whose… more ›

• Finding Me

  Jul 31

  There was a time when my creative spirit showed up everywhere—like glitter at an arts and crafts party. It got into everything. Teaching, storytelling, even rearranging the spice rack felt… more ›

• Year 26

  Jul 31

  25 years as an educator—and at least a dozen more before that coaching, mentoring, running camps, leading arts programs, and engaging in general kid-centered monkey business (some of which may… more ›

• Tales from the Inside: The Usual Suspects (Lounge Cut)

  Jul 30

  It was the Thursday before the first day of school, and the teacher’s lounge had that eerie calm-before-the-storm vibe. You know the one—burnt coffee brewing, the hum of a vending… more ›

• What Writing Looks Like (for Me)

  Jul 27

  I’ve always been drawn to creating things—music, sketches, photos, splashes of color and sound—but writing? That one snuck up on me. I didn’t grow up thinking I’d be a writer.… more ›

• Designing for Redemption: Rethinking Grading and Growth in the Classroom

  Jul 27

  There’s something profoundly human about allowing a student the chance to redeem themselves—but redemption can’t be accidental or symbolic. It must be deliberately built into how we teach, assess, and… more ›