My Thirty-Year Educational Crusade
Please join me in my celebration. Stories will be posted for every student contact day this school year. The first will be elementary stories and will cover my time as an elementary teacher at Montview. The remainder will be stories from my 21 years at Rangeview High School.
The influence of a teacher is far-reaching with their students. Administrators can also have an extended impact. There is some debate about whether an administrator's effects are positive or negative. I have been fortunate to work with some excellent administrators. There is one that stands Read more
Collaboration is a key factor in the success of any group. I had been hired to teach first and second grade at Montview. This was a team that was connected and worked well together. We had our official leader. Cheryl did a nice job of Read more
The previous two stories had a serious tone so it is time to return to the fun. When I was teaching at Montview I had the good fortune to help write the science curriculum for the district. I was a part of the first and Read more
Competition by kids is a subject that is loaded with strong opinions on all sides. Competition has gotten a bad reputation because of external forces. You currently see games canceled because there are no referees or umpires. This is impacting the youngest kids all the Read more
This was one of my favorite bands in College. I saw them once over at CSU in Moby Gym. Read more
There are things that young teachers learn the easy way and some are learned the hard way. The difference is often dependent upon if the teacher listens to the parent, students, or colleagues. One of the hallmarks of a new teacher is the confidence that Read more
I hear from students that they will change their habits when they get into the "real world" but school isn't as important. I always try to have a discussion with them that they are better off establishing good habits now when it is easier. All Read more
The story for today is a celebration and post-mortem of introducing students to technology. In the early 1990s, I was lucky enough to transition to the Technology Special at Montview. One of the first things we decided on was the skills that students needed. This Read more
Schools are always in search of trends and community needs. Our job is to provide an educated and prepared workforce. We spend a lot of time preparing students for careers that don't even exist and it is sometimes a guessing game. My day is spent Read more
As a part of the retirement blog, I will be posting a video/song a week that really speaks to my beliefs and hopes about teaching for 30 years. Read more
One of the distinct joys of teaching is the opportunity to watch students learn new skills that will carry them throughout their lifetimes. Reading instruction is the best example I can think of. It is how kids start to build an understanding of the written Read more
The greats have debated the importance of a name for centuries. Shakespeare in Romeo and Juliet asked about if it really matters: “What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet.” Dale Carnegie countered: “A Read more