Hello! I am a private school teacher in California. I am a father of 3, married to a teacher, and a cat lover. Thanks so very much for dropping by my new blog! I am so happy that you're here!
I graduated with a degree in Early Childhood Development in the University of Florida and began teaching right away at the age of twenty-one. Attending graduate courses in the evenings, I later earned a Masters of Instruction in Elementary Education.
My teaching days started around the turn of the century, back when there was time for Personal Instruction in the class and kids still had active dreams. Classrooms had dramatic play areas, sinks were filled with wet paint brushes, and"developmentally appropriate" was the buzz phrase to use in a meeting. I've been around long enough to see the bureaucratic pendulum swing back and forth a few times, but sadly never back to the time when fun was allowed in class.
After student teaching in college, my very 1st teaching position was in second grade. I loved that age group! After a shift in registration, I was moved to 1st grade and became a first to second grade looping teacher. It was such a wonderful experience to watch the students grow across the course of two years. Those first five years in the primary grades gave me a very solid foundation for becoming a third grade teacher at the middle of my career. I spent ten years as a third grade educator, before moving into my current role as a K-5 talented specialist.
I'm generally a very optimistic person. I'm passionate about teaching and love the children I teach. Recently, the state of schooling has given me plenty to be worried about. I believe that statistics and standards have become barriers to meaningful teaching. Real, live kids have become numbers, not individuals. It's very, very concerning.
This blog is about the kind of teaching that isn't measured by standardized tests. The type of instruction that builds character, self-esteem, and deeper comprehension. The kind of teaching that discretely meets the standards. The type of instruction that teachers understand is good for students. Unfortunately, the kind of instruction that great teacherskeep from prying eyes.