Tag Archives: students

2020 Graduates Need Leaders

My daughter graduates this year. And, similar to the last weeks of my grandmother’s life and battle with Alzheimers, I never imagined this kind of goodbye. Over the last few weeks, I have fallen into sadness, sometimes madness, over this world we live in. But, the words Barack Obama wrote told my sadness that it’sContinue reading “2020 Graduates Need Leaders”

Speak Up Saturdays

The sound of a teenager’s voice can send a parent or teacher into the realm of insanity or lift someone out of the depths of despair. Showing teenagers the power of their voice helps them understand what to do with the words that buzz in their brains. Our teenagers need to stay connected in creativeContinue reading “Speak Up Saturdays”

Applause Applause, Give the Teachers a Hand

I slapped my legs and snorted this morning while putting my groceries away. Who knew that listening to my kids’ English teacher talk about the schedule for the week would be so entertaining? I mean, yes, I also teach English and have been told on more than one occasion that my backup plan should beContinue reading “Applause Applause, Give the Teachers a Hand”

Our Child Starts School During Coronavirus Pandemic.

There was no 5:30 a.m. alarm this morning. There was no driving one child to the Metro station on the East side of Miami. Then, rushing home to drive the other to the West side of Miami. My daughter walked into the kitchen this morning with a smile on her face. It was around 9Continue reading “Our Child Starts School During Coronavirus Pandemic.”

Reading Help: 3 Simple Tools to Encourage Reading

Getting your child to read more is the parenting challenge of the 21st Century. Forget about how hard it is for an English teacher to get a student to read a book. Even if you’re lucky enough to have one parent staying at home, that doesn’t mean the parent can just make a child miraculouslyContinue reading “Reading Help: 3 Simple Tools to Encourage Reading”

Educators and Parents Need to Read This

Taking a break from teaching has given me time to explore the world of education through the Internet. I’ve found some sites that feel like an endless trail of links to worksheets that are essentially irrelevant to students of the 2020 realm.  But, I’ve also found websites that are not only 2020 perfect, but 2020Continue reading “Educators and Parents Need to Read This”

Back to School: Conversations with Kids about Safety and Speaking Up

Preparing for the start of the school year seems even more somber this year than others. Back to school mayhem has begun in some parts of the country. Florida just had its tax-free weekend and parents were no less aggressive about stocking up on supplies. But, all of us, at some point, looked at aContinue reading “Back to School: Conversations with Kids about Safety and Speaking Up”

Distracted by Distractions

Watching students test has become an obsession for me, as a teacher and as a mom. I first began studying The Test about 10 years ago. I had always held a deep disdain for even the mention of the word “test” while plowing through my school years. I hated tests because I’d shut down andContinue reading “Distracted by Distractions”