What I Learned About Great PD At My Weekend Exercise Class

What I Learned About Great PD At My Weekend Exercise Class

A friend recently invited me to guest pass into her fancy exercise class. Why not, right? And in the middle of my fortieth push up (and concurrent realization I was not as physically strong as I thought I was), I found myself thinking, “I would do this class again.”...
Fire Drills: Safe and Efficient—and Color-Coded!

Fire Drills: Safe and Efficient—and Color-Coded!

There are a ton of resources out there on running safe and efficient fire drills, like this great student-friendly rules chart.  And we all know that all teachers should keep on hand a ready-to-go copy of the grab-and-go class roster. But how can the person in charge,...
Little Things: An Answer to the Forgotten Staff Birthday

Little Things: An Answer to the Forgotten Staff Birthday

I’ve got a teeny, tiny efficiency thing for you today. We focus on Togetherness mostly because it helps you be better at your job and maintain your sanity. But I am also of the firm belief that Togetherness can help you be a better, kinder, more caring colleague. This...

Teacher Togetherness, Interview Style

Whether you’re straight out of college or graduate school, or shifting to a different district, it’s that time of year again: interview time. A recent conversation with Alexa M., a soon-to-be-principal in Denver, got me thinking about how to demonstrate Togetherness...
Teacher OFFICES?! You Heard Me Right!

Teacher OFFICES?! You Heard Me Right!

I know. You saw the title of this post and thought it was an oxymoron, right?! Teacher OFFICES?! Yes, you heard me right. And I’m not talking about big desks in classrooms. I am talking about real deal, bona fide offices. I frequently hear from teachers that one of...
Tame the Email Beast…As A School

Tame the Email Beast…As A School

Email. It’s a big deal. It’s slowly drowning us, one little inbox gift at a time. Okay, sorry to sound so morose, but I consistently hear from teachers and leaders that email is a HUGE deal (read: pain). We’ve written before about how individuals can Take Back the...