MVP (Most Valuable Picnic Blanket)

William Carlos Williams once told us all that so much depends upon a Red Wheelbarrow. Well, at our house we don't have one of those, but we do have a yellow picnic blanket. It has a pocket with a picture of palm trees on the front. It's bright. It has windbreaker style material on the … Continue reading MVP (Most Valuable Picnic Blanket) →

Parents are the Heat-Resistant Glue in a Meltdown

Yesterday was yet another "We Gotta Get the Heck Outta this House" day. I'd cleaned, vacuumed, taken a shower, and by the time my hair was dry, it was pitted again. So why not go for a walk, I thought. Let's go for a very long walk, a hike even, that will last all morning. … Continue reading Parents are the Heat-Resistant Glue in a Meltdown →

Bulletin Boards and Classroom Culture Shift

I am a seventh grade teacher with a degree in elementary education. If you've had the normal public education experience, you do not look back on middle school fondly. I'm with you there. I was the middle school girl who did not know how to put on makeup, parted her hair down the middle, and … Continue reading Bulletin Boards and Classroom Culture Shift →

Splash Pads for the Win

Can we just talk for a bit about the unsung hero of Summer Break? The Splash Pad is the best thing since chocolate milk. Let me tell you why it ranks in my top 3 summertime must haves right along with books and sleeping in. The first reason is obvious. It is hot outside, so … Continue reading Splash Pads for the Win →