Giving Up

Giving Up

  What do you do when you finally want to give up? When you have exhausted all possibilities? When no one is working with you toward a goal? When others…
100 CCs of Obecalp

100 CCs of Obecalp

  I was recently listening to the Tim Ferriss podcast in which he interviewed Scott Belsky. Scott's father was a doctor in New York City emergency rooms and told his…
Valuing the Bad Work

Valuing the Bad Work

  In education, in classrooms, in conversations with teachers, I see and hear a lot of thoughts about what good work is and how to help students get their work…
Your Routines

Your Routines

  You work to build routines and implement easy to follow procedures for students at the beginning of the year. Consistent routines can be a great help for students who…
Valuable Work

Valuable Work

  The thing about doing valuable work is that in the beginning it doesn’t look valuable. Often it doesn’t really look like anything. It may be rough, unpolished, foggy, messy,…
I’m Sorry.

I’m Sorry.

  Sometimes the simplest answer is I’m Sorry. When we try to avoid saying these two words and instead dance around them, we may negate the authenticity in our apology.…
2nd Day & Beyond

2nd Day & Beyond

  The first day of school receives all the fanfare and glory but it’s not where the real work is done. The excitement of new clothes and new faces gives…
(10 Days of) Kindness

(10 Days of) Kindness

  If every individual practiced one act of kindness every single day, then our world would be a much better place. So, as we begin our school year, let's begin…
Rewards & Consequences

Rewards & Consequences

  For the last several years, I haven’t posted rewards or consequences in my classroom. To be honest, I never even really gave them much thought. However, after attending the NJPAECET2 conference several…
The Lucky One

The Lucky One

  This morning, I will take part in my sixteenth opening day. While my role has changed slightly since that first opening day, I am still the lucky one. Getting…