Here’s the secret to building relationships: Actually like kids That’s it. No fancy handshakes, no dancing and singing like a fool every morning. That stuff is for show and kids know it. Just like kids. It’s easy. And if you don’t, find something else to do.

Well, I'm still going to make/eat the meal I planned as my "post STAAR test" treat tonight, so I'm counting that small joy as a win.

And the weight of adjusting kids to a new plan on the fly because TEA failed them this AGAIN year will once again fall to me and my coworkers. texastribune.org/2021/04/06/tex… via Texas Tribune

The best administrators are like the best teachers. They rarely get the accolades they deserve because they don’t seek them but rather are seeking to make those around them better.

I plan my outings around places that have family bathrooms. This is my life now.

We are at a point where politicians can sexually assault women and keep their jobs but teachers will get fired for teaching history.

I’m just so blessed to be at SHS. Our admin is amazing, our teachers are top notch, and our kids are unmatched. I’ve been on campuses where one or two of these things was true, but Saginaw is truly a triple threat. 🥰 #

Y'all ever have a moment with your student that has you like...

My students think I'm just evaluating their reading/writing, but I'm actually looking to see if I could trust any of them to babysit my kids 😅. Playing the long game with this teaching thing.

My heart is bursting.

When you give students a fill-in-the-blank paragraph with a word bank that is directly aligned with the rubric you'll be using to grade, and they throw it out the window and write a random paragraph that hits none of the rubric parameters...

There's a phenomenon I actually see extremely commonly when literature is used to teach history to middle school and high school students. Let's call it "pajamafication."

Teachers are not IN school…they work AT school. Please stop treating teachers as if they are in the grade level they teach and are the ages of the children/preteen/teens they teach. They are degreed professionals who chose to care for and teach students. Respect them as such!

✨GIVEAWAY!✨It’s five months until Nothing More to Tell hits shelves, and I’m giving away a signed ARC. RT & follow to enter; winner will be chosen at noon ET on Friday, April 1. International ok!

People who speak on education without even doing a preliminary google to check the accuracy of their info...

Read the Murrah bombing chapter of Boom Town during my lunch, and now I have to act like I didn't just cry my eyes out 20 minutes ago.

As someone who has taught reading intervention, I’m pretty quiet on the reading wars except to say that when you use the term “war” you will end up with casualties. You’ll dehumanize. You’ll create enemies in a way that prevents dialogue. Phonics matter. Blending matters.

I cannot stay silent about an issue affecting teachers across the country: A "smore" newsletter is the worst way to disseminate information. Send me a giant email so I can just search my inbox for the info I need...please...I'm begging you.