Category: Teacher Inspiration

  • Reusing the Toilet Paper: The Mess We Make When We Assume Prior Knowledge

    Several months ago, our family took a trip to St. Louis. We stayed in a magical historic home in a small town on the outskirts of the city. All of us were excited to explore the nooks and crannies of the old house, but our two foster boys (ages 8 and 10) were totally floored…

  • Funny or Not Funny–A Lesson in Unconditional Positive Regard

    Today during my planning time at school, I found myself reflecting on the concept of unconditional positive regard. This is a prerequisite for forming relationships with students (and all people, really) who don’t strike you right away as super likable. It’s a mind over matter thing. We are teaching professionals. We’ll make ourselves like you,…

  • A Daddy for Buddy

    One of the best things about teaching elementary music is forming relationships with every kid at school. In Arkadelphia, it also meant that any foster child in pre-k through 1st grade who was placed in our home would go to school with me and be my music student. “Champ” visited Perritt for the first time…

  • An Epiphany at the Widows’ Brunch

    This morning, Meg and I attended a brunch for widows hosted by our church’s deacons. “Youtube stars” that we are, we were invited to come as the entertainment. Our set list included several folk songs that I teach in the classroom along with a few songs my Nickelodeon Choir learned for our 1970s-themed show several…

  • Life With Puppets, Part 2: Lower the Affective Filter and Make Boring Jobs Fun!

    Most days in my classroom, effective teaching involves performance art. I’ve been doing a certain little schtick for years. The objective is to teach the children a simple song called “Hop, Old Squirrel,” a mi-re-do song, so that they can eventually sing it individually and maintain the tonality. (This can take years for some kids,…

  • Life with Puppets, Part 1

    As I look back on my career in education, the years can be divided into two distinct eras: B.P. (Before Puppets) and A. P. (After Puppets). In the Before Puppets era of my teacher life, I did all the jobs myself. That was hard work. I cajoled and scolded reluctant kids into participating in the…

  • Mrs. Winter’s Angel

    A dear friend once asked me if I cried over the sad stories our foster kids carried with them. Answer: not usually. I prioritized providing the necessary structure and nurture these kids needed in their first days with us. Stopping to cry would have interrupted that process. But this one got me.   A little…