COVID

It is OK to be Exhausted and Overwhelmed Right Now

I have long been a fan of David Rock. I think he does an amazing job of boiling down the complex advancements in neuroscience into usable language and concepts. For me, that means he gives those of us without complex knowledge of our brain a glimpse into how our own brain works. As a bonus, if we start to begin to understand how our brain works then tangentially we can begin to understand how the brains of those we are… Read More »It is OK to be Exhausted and Overwhelmed Right Now

Yesterday, I exhaled

Nearly 12 months ago I sent an email to parents and to staff at the direction of the Governor of Illinois closing schools indefinitely. I remember vividly the Leadership Team meeting shortly before this when someone on my Leadership Team asked when I thought we would be back in session. When I replied and I told them that I did not think we would be back for the remainder of the school year. The expression on the person’s face was… Read More »Yesterday, I exhaled

The EduSpeak Right Now is SO Misguided

We are at an interesting inflection point in education. I think that there are a few things that we can generally agree on. In-person learning is better than remote learning for the vast majority of students. Not having in-person learning as an option is seemingly disproportionately impacting those students who are traditionally underserved. There currently exist many opportunities for us to examine our educational practices and make necessary evolutions in our process and performance. Educators are more tired, stressed, and… Read More »The EduSpeak Right Now is SO Misguided

My 40th Birthday

I am about to turn 40. I definitely do not have anxiety about turning 40 or anything like that, but there is something about a round number such as this that makes you take inventory. So, as I sit here and try to capture the thoughts I have had in this – the strangest of all of my adult years – I do so with an acute awareness of how lucky I am to be turning 40 happily married, with… Read More »My 40th Birthday

If Schools Close, This Will Be the Reason

Tomorrow morning the buses will run and students, albeit in a limited number, will enter our doors. At that moment, for the first time in months, school will feel normal. All educators, at least the great ones I know, went into education to work with kids. Tomorrow is going to give us the opportunity to do so again. We will have an opportunity to do what it is we do best. No more excruciating hours playing arm-chair epidemiologist or health… Read More »If Schools Close, This Will Be the Reason