teacher inspiration

Highly Requested: Teacher’s Gift Guide… By a Real Teacher

I got quite a few messages about the best gifts for teachers. I’m happy to take requests and to give you what you want in your gift guides and blog picks to make your holiday shopping easier. I do know though that I can speak…

Diverse Book Recommendations & How to Engage Children While Reading Them

Depending on where you teach, you may be held to strict guidelines. These days it seems standards, testing and curriculum tend to guide our instruction- if not drive it completely. Lately many of us have been reflecting on how we have been honoring diversity in…

How to Stay Healthy When You’re Around Kids 24/7

There are a few things certain in this world- sunrise, sunset, and the fact that New York winters bring germs and sickness in an elementary school classroom. Over the years I’ve tried so many things to stay healthy, but recently I’ve finally gotten a routine…

Finding Balance | How Do You Find Balance with Teaching and Having a Blog? (and a sale!)

We recently did a question and answer session on the blog where you all got to ask questions and I gave the answers. There are some questions that I get asked often and one of them is about balance. Everyone wants to know how I…

Best Children’s Books of 2019

The funny thing about books is that no two readers (or people) are the same. Some books resonate and some don’t, but luckily I have my own opinions as a teacher, along with those of my 25 fifth graders behind me. I published a mid-year…

How I Survive Back to School Season

Back to school is underway and that means packing lunches, homemade coffee and barely (if I can help it) getting dressed on weekends. September is in full-effect and it takes a little while to be adjusted to the swing of things. I’ve got the answers…