Being a teacher isn’t easy. All of the early mornings, the outside-of-school prep work, the grading, the stressful meetings, the extracurricular practices and group meetings, plus the day-to-day dealing with kids can all take a toll. Then, if you’re me,… Read more ›
I’ve been on The Guardian twice in the past few weeks! First, I was talking about keeping guns out of my classroom: We don’t need more guns in schools. We need more empathy and compassion. We need to make dealing… Read more ›
Trigger warning for discussions of statutory rape. Labor Day weekend. For some, it is the last weekend before school starts up again, filled with one last BBQ and pool party before hitting the books. For others like Tim and me,… Read more ›
This blog post was originally written for the Teaching Tolerance blog, but, as a mutual decision, we decided not to publish it. They were concerned that I was calling out the AP and College Board without sufficient evidence. My intention… Read more ›
This morning, I contacted the editor I’ve been working with at The Guardian. I accepted an assignment from her earlier in the week to write a piece about the Common Core. I’m over the moon that she thinks of me when education-related… Read more ›
It was the first day back at school today. Usually, I’m an exhausted mess by the end of the first day back. Getting up at 5:30 after three months of sleeping until whenever I want is difficult to say the… Read more ›
Oh, TIME Magazine. You’ve done it again. Last summer, you asked moms if they were “mom enough” by showing a picture of a perfect mom complete with a flat stomach, skinny jeans, and a breastfeeding toddler, insinuating that moms who… Read more ›
You know what I just realized this past week? MY OFFICE HAS A DOOR. OK, that might sound stupid, but hear me out. During the summers, I work from home. When Tim and I first got married, we had a… Read more ›
“Oh we’re just happy if they’re reading.” It’s a phrase I hear often as a teacher. We give students books that have interesting covers, aren’t very long, and that grab young readers within the first chapter. If reluctant readers don’t… Read more ›
You guys! I’ve been writing other places and I haven’t even updated you. I’m so sorry – it’ll never happen again! OK, it’ll probably happen again, but I’ll try to remember next time. Earlier this month, I was on The… Read more ›
I want to talk a little bit more about stress. Not because I am super stressed out (which I am not after spending all of Monday in my PJs, watching an X Files marathon), but because I do think that stress… Read more ›
Realistically, I probably only take 2-4 days off during a school year. I’m of the feeling that: A. I want my sick days in case something happens or in case we have a baby or whatever – you get the… Read more ›
A few weeks ago, I participated in a panel discussion with the absolutely wonderful Deborah Siegel, Veronica Arreola, and Claudia Garcia-Rojas. Not gonna lie, I was super intimidated to speak with these talented, smart ladies, but I had such a great… Read more ›
We’ve been in our house for a year now. We’re no DIYers, but we have done a lot of work! See all the home before and after posts and pictures here. You may remember how excited I was to have… Read more ›
You guys. It is summer. And I can honestly say that I have earned this summer break more than I have ever earned a break before. It usually takes me about a week or two to let my brain rest… Read more ›
I’m at Offbeat Families today talking about the tough stuff – how I feel about having babies after the Boston Marathon bombings: My thoughts turned to my friend at work who had given birth that day, and her baby who… Read more ›
Tim mowed the lawn this weekend. This was not the first time this season that he has done so; the torrential rains this spring have made our grass grow full and green. However, it was the first time he forgot… Read more ›
I told you a few days ago that I’d tell you all about my brand new craft nook, so here I am. My craft nook is seriously the coolest around. And the best part about it? It used to be… Read more ›
It’s a strange thing to be so happy that your husband hasn’t yet lived out his lifelong dream. Tim has always been a runner. Since his high school days, he’s been on cross country and track teams. He gets up… Read more ›
I love WBEZ. For those of you who are unfamiliar with it, it is Chicagoland’s NPR affiliate station. I find the news stories they report to be unbiased, un-sensationalized, and well-researched even if it means they were not the first… Read more ›