When I go to the hair salon I go to relax. I usually roll in on two wheels, slightly late and profoundly apologetic and I then proceed to nestle into the chair and nod off while highlights and colour are applied. The sounds around me are familiar and comforting and do not inhibit my peace.… Read More They Have to Learn
During a day of learning for new teachers in November we were deeply moved by an incredible human during the keynote. I sat in that room with him and I can only explain what happened to me as shockingly unexpected. Laughing, crying and suddenly knowing that I needed him, in that moment in my life… Read More In the Birch Trees
Who signs up, stands up and antes up to fail? For most people who live in education, it’s the everyday risk of learning that matters. There is an epic chance that failure will be a part of the work day. The everyday moments in education are the juiciest. We pay close attention to all of… Read More The Beast Comes Alive
“I need you to take some time and think before you start writing your answer.” “Have you thought about that?” “Did you think about your arguments before writing them down? It is important to really think about what you read and plan your answers before you start writing.” If I tallied the number of… Read More Changed Forever
My mother is the single finest human I have ever encountered. For anyone who has met my mother, “Granny,” they know how I can make such a statement. She was present and beside me for everything awesome and everything awful. She is my human. She is the explanation as to why I risk, push, and… Read More The World Needs More Cheerleaders
Sarah Silverman paid the medical bills of the twitter troll who called her the c word. She did not turn away nor condemn him. She engaged him an exchange on twitter. They had a conversation for the world to see. She told him she saw something in him and believed he could live a great… Read More Compromise, Crisis and Collaboration
I (Kelly) hear it in his voice. A secondary vice principal is looking at achievement data on a screen I cannot see. I am driving while he walks me through the data. He is deflated and can’t figure out where “we” went wrong. What hadn’t we done? Was it the success criteria, were we not… Read More It’s Not the Grade, It’s the Growth
