Teaching

Namaste

Integrating yoga class structure and style in the middle school classroom I nervously entered the room and found a seat in the back. I looked around to find the fastest exit, but I was too late; the teacher walked in, queued the music, and dimmed the lights. “Welcome” she began. “It is a beautiful day

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A Calm Classroom Community

Being proactive by communicating expectations of classroom behavior No need for a bull horn, the students could hear me shouting just fine. My voice was so hoarse after my first year, it sounded like I was constantly coming down with whooping cough. Expectations? Oh, my students were fully aware of the expectations … after they

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Digital Portfolios

Collecting student work to keep track of and reflect on accomplishments Recently, I offered a workshop in my district to teachers interested in creating digital portfolios of student work. My initial focus for the presentation was the digital concept of portfolios, but as I made my way further into my presentation it became clear to me that

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Don’t Pick Up the Rope

Why it’s not worth getting into a struggle with students It was the summer of 1998. I lived in a two room apartment with my now husband. The shower was in the kitchen. We drove clunker cars, scrounged change for take-out, and let me tell you, we were living our best life. We were young,

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