Getting the Travel Jitters
It’s that time of year again. We are getting ready to go travel the world, as we are want to do. It’s something I would have never dreamed of in my youth. We were lucky to visit family a few hours away. Once, I even went with my class to Florida. But ever since marrying […]
On the Nature of Gratitude
Today I find myself reflecting on the nature of gratitude. I don’t think that I always appreciate all those thousand, tiny miracles every day. Miracles like the support of my partner, the encouragement of friends, and the responsibility of being a parent. These are all blessings that, when we forget, can be easily lost. My […]
What It Feels Like
Lately, I just can’t help wondering what it feels like. What it feels like to have your focus everyday in doing the things that matter to you. To not get bogged down by the minutiae. To be always be moving forward. I’m not sure I’ll ever know what it feels like to be as successfulsuccessful […]
Pushing Through
Some more letters written today and some more tweaking. The closer I get to this particular goal, the more terrified I get. It’s not even the idea that I will fail, or I am not as good as I would like to be. Hell, even the idea of success seizes me guts cold. Really, it’s […]
Student Centred
Student centred is a term I have heard throughout my time as an educator. Most of the time, I feel like I have heard it wrong, especially in what that usually looks like in the classroom. Many educators do a fantastic job with differentiation, but really struggle with letting go of the control of the […]
Self-Doubt
There has been nothing more toxic or damaging to me in my writing career as this demon of self-doubt. Don’t get me wrong, understanding my place in this world is probably a good thing. I know that I am not the next Stephen King or anything, so really I need to manage my expectations. But […]
I am Still Going
I am still going, even though I don’t have a clue what I am doing. I mean, when it comes to writing, I am fine. I am a great storyteller and I know that I have a way with words. When it comes to the business side of things . . . well, I certainly […]
Love and Hate
Teaching and writing are both parts of my life that I both love and hate. There are so many moments during my day when I take absolute joy from what I am doing. There’s no feeling quite like hitting a flow in your writing, no matter the subject matter. Nor is there anything quite like […]
The Education Fallacy
When you have worked long enough in education, you are bound to come across a few recycled phrases. “We’ve always done it this way” is a personal favourite of mine. Nothing says I don’t want to think about my practice more than the expression that assumes mastery. “We did this before, but we called it […]
Getting Behind
I don’t think there’s a worse feeling in the world than getting behind. In education, it’s an experience that I have often. Marking, planning, reports, oh my. The deadlines are furious and all consuming. Plus, you need to keep track of your own, teach the students how to keep track of theirs, and make sure […]