One of my biggest struggles in my early years of teaching was the lack of help and direction from experts in the field (veteran teachers, administrators, etc.). I attended all necessary training for new teachers, followed all protocol, and even asked questions whenever I could to whomever would listen. But, I still had major growing…

As first semester in our classrooms are coming to a close, it is important to REFLECT on where students began and where they hope to go. Much of that reflection is based in academic benchmarks to ensure students meet the requirements for their grade level, but the most important work we can do as educators…

A unique opportunity presented itself to partner with Amber from Burned-In Teacher to share my personal story on her podcast about burn out as a classroom teacher. It is not one I talk about often as I focus on the blessings that came from those moments, but walking down memory lane to help teachers stuck in that…

Hot Tip Tuesday Each week I bring to you helpful tips to become a more effective educator on the Always A Lesson fan page on Facebook. (Give it a quick like by clicking here!) I decided to start grouping my social media posts into a blog post in case you didn’t catch it in your feed. (Want…

The most impactful decision a teacher can make in their career is to welcome feedback from others about their teaching skillset.  This is because your own opinions are limited by your perspective- you are one person, seeing yourself in one way. But, when you receive feedback from others who have a perspective unlike your own,…

Thrifty Thursday Each week I bring to you helpful tips to become a more effective educator on the Always A Lesson fan page on Facebook. (Give it a quick like by clicking here!) I decided to start grouping my social media posts into a blog post incase you might have missed anything. Time to get caught up:…

Teaching is an evolving profession where educators are expected to keep current on best practices while honing their own craft. Although districts require formal professional development hours to help teachers sharpen skillsets, nothing compares to the honest learning experience that occurs among colleagues watching each other in action. Inevitably, there is someone in your building…

Perfecting one’s craft is the key to having a successful career in any field. Improvement doesn’t come fast or easy though. In fact, it can be quite tricky to gain knowledge and expertise without the help of someone more knowledgeable to teach you the ropes. That’s why having a more experienced mentor in the same…

As a converted southerner (out of 8 states I have lived in, 3 have been in the south), I have a tremendous love for the delicious and highly addictive food chain, Chick-Fil-A [CFA]. If you have never heard about this company before, let me give you a quick run-down. Chick-Fil-A: The Company CFA is a…