Stories are as unique as the storytellers who share them. This allows for something beautiful and magical that only you can bring.  You have a story worth sharing.  You are a story worth sharing.  Moments of encouragement, inspiration, and connection may be as simple as saying, “Once upon a time.”

My “aha” moment came when I realized that my students were messy people, with messy lives, who make messy choices…and that is good!

Take the time to have students reflect and respond to gauge which practices you need to increase, and which you need to burn. 

I wonder how many of our students have looked up toward a bright future filled with hopes and dreams, only to find the emotional surface they are standing on simply doesn’t provide the stability to push their way up and out of their own heads, let alone through their academic challenges. We, as teachers, must learn how to gauge the emotional water level of our students before we can stretch their minds.