Transitioning into fall has me reflecting on true self-care. Moving past the surface, I’m sharing simple, intentional ways I plan to nourish my mind, body, and soul this season.
Tag: life
You Didn’t Make the Team. Now What?
Let's get over the awkwardness straight away. If what brought you to this blog post was disappointment at not making the team that you really hoped you would make, I'm sorry. Regardless of the situation, that's not a nice feeling, and I know it hurts. I've been there, as a player and a coach. Being …
Keeping the Fire Burning After #SHAPEKC
Having just got back from the awesome SHAPE America National Convention, it’s time to reflect on the hours spent in outstanding sessions, reconnecting with educators, experiencing a vibrant city, and soaking in a couple of impactful keynotes. There’s something about Kansas City - the energy, the conversations, the BBQ-fueled networking - that made this one …
Why Handwritten Notes Still Matter (And Why I Created a Notebook for Educators)
There’s something powerful about writing things down by hand. In a world of shared Google Docs, AI summaries, and conference slide decks that land in our inbox before the keynote even ends, it might seem unnecessary. But research, and my own experience, tell a different story. When we write by hand, with pen and paper, …
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Why I’m Making 2026 My Analog Year
There's a conversation that's been bubbling under for a few years now regarding “analog” coming back as a cultural and lifestyle trend for 2026, and I'm seeing it across social media, in magazines, and even my parents have asked me about it. This isn’t just a meme or niche idea anymore. This goes beyond the …
Dicebreaker. The Connection-First Icebreaker
Ever since I watched Dale Sidebottom keynote at the PE Institute in North Carolina I've wanted to weave in some dice-based activities with my classes. I found this great deal online for 100 dice, but they sat in a drawer unaccompanied by an activity, until now. We return from break on a shortened schedule, and …
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One Word for 2026: A Different Way to Start the Year
The start of a new year has a funny reputation. It’s supposed to be a reset button. A fresh start. A new era. A moment where you suddenly become more motivated, more organized, more disciplined, and more confident—just because the calendar changed. But most of us know the truth, and the science backs this up, …
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Before the Year Ends: Twelve Months in Reflection
One constant during my 30 years of teaching is that the break from school at the end of the calendar year – winter for me and summer for my Southern Hemisphere friends – comes at just the right time. Leaving for school in the dark, arriving home in the dark, the end of a long …
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Classroom Moments That Matter
Every semester, after introducing the content of my sexuality education unit, I conduct an anonymous question activity with my sophomore health class. I ask them to ask questions they have about any of the content, but I also take this a step further. I ask them to suggest content that they think their peers definitely …
Who’s in Your Brains Trust?
A few years ago, I came across an image that resonated with me. It showed how Gareth Southgate, then the manager of the England men’s soccer team, draws on a network of thinkers to help shape his decisions. Not just football minds, but voices from rugby, cricket, sailing, cycling, even the military. A deliberate mix …
Making Time for Engagement and Joy
Almost all I think about these days is class culture, and I know I am not alone. For me, this means a culture that builds trust, embraces confusion, encourages attention and sparks curiosity and joy, After 30+ years as a high school English teacher, creating and sustaining this culture is simultaneously more difficult and more …
We CAN Do Hard Things
This year I was offered the opportunity to do something I had always wanted to do: teach a PETE class. My first reaction was “Wow! I am so honored and excited to do this!” Fast track to: “There is no way I can do this! I know nothing about teaching college kids! I will fail …
Intentional Intentions
Being intentional with how and where we allocate our focus can be challenging and overwhelming in our hectic, busy lives. It is easy for me to experience cognitive overload … so many books, articles, blogs, workshops; so much to learn and think about! It’s exciting and daunting at the same time, often resulting in an …
B.A.M. An Educational Journey of Empowerment
Losing my husband unexpectedly shattered my world. In the midst of my grief, I found myself grappling with an unfamiliar sense of emptiness and confusion. Yet, within the depths of despair and the need to brave up for my children, I discovered an improbable source of strength and resilience. It is then that my perspective …
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