The Light Is Finally Here

“Today is the last day of Comprehensive Distance Learning — hopefully for the rest of your life,” is how I began our Zoom meeting last Thursday. “You’re finishing one of the hardest things you’ll probably ever have to do as a student.” On the 1-year anniversary of my school being shut-down, I was encouraging a

Short Stories From a Distance: The Teacher Has Spoken

A few weeks ago, I mentioned I wanted to briefly change directions with what I was writing about, and I’d like to start telling my audience a few quick stories about things I’ve found funny during the Distance Learning year; I think of it like a mini-series.  Remember the really neat Dictado strategy that my

Short Stories From a Distance: An Epic 1-Liner

A few weeks ago, I mentioned I wanted to briefly change directions with what I was writing about, and I’d like to start telling my audience a few quick stories about things I’ve found funny during the Distance Learning year; I think of it like a mini-series.  Here’s the first installment of “Short Stories From

It’s Been A While

An update with the help of Michael Scott. It’s been quite a while, actually. “Who are you, again?” you might be wondering. Where have I been? Where am I going? Who knows, it’s still 2020. Where have you been? Here’s the thing: I have “been away” for a few reasons. Some of the reason is

Saving Hours Upon Hours with Digital Lesson Plans

Shameless Plug: I have created an aesthetically appealing lesson planner already. If you want to save even more time, and receive additional pointers on how to properly utilize a digital lesson planner, I’ve got you covered! If you favor Etsy, it’s here. If you like TpT, it’s here!  A few years back, I decided to

Expressing Distance Expectations For Our Families

As we begin a distanced year, it’s important to gear up for another whacky experience behind our webcams. We have to take into account what went well last year, and what really, really didn’t. My 5th grade team put together a quick presentation about expectations for students and parents. I’m hoping to share what we

3 Pros and Tips for Google Forms

The first time I used Google Forms, I didn’t really know what I was doing. I basically saw a purple rectangle in the G-Suite and said, “Cool! I like purple! What does this do..?” Turns out, there are some really awesome features in Google Forms that can fill a virtual need in a classroom: in

Self-Made Survival Concepts for Going Back-To-School from a Distance

As virtual doors are reopening over the next few weeks, I decided to create 10 “commandments” for myself. There is a need to start mentally preparing for a wacky beginning in an uncertain time. Some schools around the country have already started the process; my cousin in Tennessee has been Zooming since August 4th! (Lord

One Teacher’s Reaction(s) Upon Learning We’re Starting With Distance Learning

So, here we are. August has arrived. And with it, the judgment about how the next education year will start. States, districts, and schools are being forced into really tough decisions due to the current climate and complications of COVID-19. While the debate rages on about what’s best for students and society, the fact remains