Teach Free and Thrive

We have all heard this… The what is in the standards … the how is up to you This is why I do what I do every day. I love the freedom in taking the standards I need to cover and making them my own, developing lessons and units that meet the needs of my students and...

Freedom in Assessment

Assessment is where I am feeling the least free within the structure we have in our district. Our mandated reading and math assessments are so comprehensive and numerous that to create new, performance based assessments would be counterproductive to student learning....

Freedom in Curriculum Development

Be a part of the decision making, planning and development process. That is the best way to feel free within the ever growing structure of local, state and even national curricula. I rarely feel constrained by my district’s curriculum. Mainly because we have so much...

Freedom in Classroom Routines

I believe classrooms need structure to thrive. Just as our own children need and want structure, rules and boundaries, so do our students. Clear expectations and reliable routines give children the security and predictability to explore, make mistakes and succeed....

Free Thinking

focus, connections, depth, teamwork, well-rounded, organized, professional, scaffolding, map, guide, efficiency, systems, routines, the big picture, prevent gaps, reliable, predictable, equitable, target, essential outcome , common, When I was asked to write about...