As an educator who loves to share tips for teachers both inside and outside the classroom, you can follow this page to find all my education-related posts. You will find tips, tricks, lesson plans, inspiration, and more.

For many of our students Hip Hop is a way of life. That is why we combined our love of teaching and rap music to craft an album and resource pack that we can use in our classrooms. “Head of…

Teach Like Your Hair’s On Fire: The Methods and Madness Inside Room 56 by Rafe Esquith This book is inspiring and reminds me why I love teaching. I took so many notes that I won’t be able to share them…

A Mirror For Americans: What the East Asian Experience Tells Us about Teaching Students Who Excel by Cornelius N. Grove Many of us think that school needs to be a certain way. But the way schools operate in different parts…

I recently read a book entitled Normal Sucks by Jonathan Mooney where he offers a harsh critique of the public school system. He says outright that school is toxic. That might sound alarmist and unrealistic and there is a lot to unpack in what he writes. Let’s do that, shall we?

Extraordinary Parenting by Eloise Rickman The way kids behave give us vital clues to how they are feeling and what they are thinking. By paying attention we can help our children communicate with us in ways that they aren’t quite…

“If your top priority for your child is soaring academic excellence, then you’ll need to invest him [or her] with the drive to learn.” Kids have a natural curiosity and teach themselves all sorts of things. Parents act as coach…

There are a lot of misconceptions about the Montessori method of education. While I knew the name, I must admit I knew little else about it. After doing a considerable amount of research, I am completely sold on it and…

I often find it hard to sleep the night before school starts every year. Even though I have spent countless hours setting up my classroom, writing lessons, and organizing resources, my mind races with possibilities. Today, my mind is racing…

Normal Sucks: How to Live, Learn, and Thrive Outside the Lines by Jonathan Mooney This book title seemed to fit with my view of the world. I embrace my weirdness and do my best to think creatively and live outside…

Don’t Waste Your Time Homeschooling 72 Things I Wish I’d Known by Traci Matt The title of this book is a bit tongue and cheek but the author is definitely correct about all the time wasted as we try to…