Tag: writing

• An Educator’s Love Letter to Liquid Sanity

  Jul 31

  Let’s get one thing straight: coffee isn’t a luxury for teachers. It’s a survival mechanism. A coping strategy. A legal form of self-medication brewed in Keurig pods and staff lounge… 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 ›

• More Me Than You Think: A Creator’s Spirit

  Jul 31

  We all carry worlds inside our heads—some loud, some quiet, some a little strange.This is mine: a peek behind the curtain at the curiosity, the quirks, and the caffeine-fueled chaos… 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 ›

• A quick Walmart run, a sweater vest, and three very stoned prophets.

  Jul 29

  So this happened today….. Honest, it did. I only went to Walmart to pick up some meds and maybe a couple boxes of Oreos. Simple mission. In and out. You… more ›

• Before Viral Was a Thing: Mariachi vs. Migra

  Jul 29

  There’s a series of stories I’ve been carrying for a while—stories that needed telling.But before I share the rest of my collection, I wanted to start here, with this oneto… 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 ›

• What Teaching Used to Be —and What We’ve Lost Along the Way

  Jul 26

  There was a time—not long ago—when teaching was built on short readings and long conversations. Classrooms echoed with curiosity. Students asked questions. Teachers asked even more.And the best days? The… more ›

• What Drives Me

  Jul 24

  Over the course of my life, and career as an educator, I’ve been asked these questions more than once.I remember one time clearly—it was during a workshop on student resilience.… more ›

• Built By Hand

  Jul 20

  There’s something to be said about working with your hands. The whole DIY thing—patching a leaky faucet, sanding down a splintered door, fixing the fence before it falls over—doesn’t get… more ›

• More Than Words: How Quotes Spark Conversation and Learning

  Jul 17

  There’s something powerful about a well-timed quote. Maybe it’s a line from a movie that lingers long after the credits roll, or a phrase that echoes from history books. Quotes… more ›

• More Than Just a Writing Lesson…

  Jul 17

  As a teacher, I made sure my students wrote every single day. It didn’t matter what subject I taught, or how much they wrote. What mattered was the act itself… more ›

• Echoes of Our Heritage

  Jul 17

  Some of my favorite memories aren’t found on big stages or at fancy events. They’re in backyards — folding chairs circling around a grill, kids chasing each other barefoot on… more ›