Tag: parenting

What NOT to Say When Your Child is Failing

What NOT to Say When Your Child is Failing

I was a tad… high strung in high school and college about academics. Bless her, my mother regularly received crying phone calls from me when I got overwhelmed. Much of the time, letting me talk it out usually sufficed. But there were times when I 

Why Teens Need Waaaay More Quality Sleep

Why Teens Need Waaaay More Quality Sleep

I first realized something was wrong with teen sleep while student teaching. I taught 2nd-semester seniors (whoever scheduled that clearly hated me!) School started at 7:20 and I watched my students walk in with coffee, caffeinated sodas, and candy bars to wake themselves up. While 

How to Help Your Teen Pick Next Year’s Classes

How to Help Your Teen Pick Next Year’s Classes

“So, I’m going to take 7 IB classes next year, Ms. P”. Josh was a junior, getting ready to apply to competitive schools the next fall. There was NO need to take all IB classes, but he insisted. I’d taught Josh when he was a 

Parent-Teacher Conferences: Make the Most of Short Conferences

Parent-Teacher Conferences: Make the Most of Short Conferences

Have you attended a cattle call, I mean high school parent-teacher conferences lately? You have 2 hours to meet with as many teachers as possible. The teachers are all sitting at desks in the gym with the world’s smallest timers. Do you stand in a 

Top 5 Books for Parenting or Teaching Teens

Top 5 Books for Parenting or Teaching Teens

I taught high school Social Studies for 15 years. And for the most part, I loved it. Granted, there were days when I would rethink my life plan. I came home and cried because some kid had been so mean. There were times I was 

What Our Children Gain When They Fail

What Our Children Gain When They Fail

Every day I passed by a table full of lunch bags. Lunch bags that students left at home and their parents brought to them. The table was set aside for parents to drop off items that kids left at home – lunch bags, lacrosse sticks, 

Quick Guide to Types of K-12 Schools

Quick Guide to Types of K-12 Schools

“What schools are in the attendance zone for that neighborhood? Wait, we’re not guaranteed the school up the street? What the heck is an innovation school??”   I asked all those questions while researching neighborhoods and schools before moving to Colorado. I spent a LOT of 

Teacher Appreciation Gifts that Teachers Actually Want

Teacher Appreciation Gifts that Teachers Actually Want

Teacher Appreciation Week is coming! As a former classroom teacher, I have some easy suggestions for last-minute gifts that teachers will love. This post contains affiliate links. If you click on the link and buy an item, I earn a small commission. This won’t cost 

15 Education Terms that Trip You Up

15 Education Terms that Trip You Up

“After the formative assessment, I differentiated the assignment, but he still struggled. Based on his performance in the classroom and his PARCC scores, I would recommend an RTI level 2 intervention.”   If you understood the previous paragraph, you probably work in education. If you didn’t