Your Style ~ Yourself ~ Your Life
“Your life is purchased by where you spend your attention.” James Clear Is it time to rethink high school instructional minutes? We are approaching two years of pandemic life. In many career fields, we have not only encountered countless new challenges, but also found existing challenges were amplified – and sometimes exacerbated. Restaurant servers and grocery clerks tired of continued… Read More
SEL Conversation Starters References to SEL – or social emotional learning – are everywhere, it seems. As we emerge from the pandemic, there seems to be a general agreement that we – and our young people – need it. But just what is SEL? And what can it look like in your classroom or office? Most states and education systems… Read More
You could argue it’s a bit early to write this for you – reminders for college applications are more than a year away – but based on what your older friends and siblings are exhibiting, I think this is something to read now, and then read again a few more times to make sure it really sinks in. TL/DR: don’t… Read More
Rethink the College Search Process College acceptance letters are all too often viewed as some sort of false finish line for college – rather than a starting point for growth and exploration. The Class of 2024 is going to feel an even bigger crunch in some ways- in that the fall of tenth grade might be your first time on… Read More
Where to go to college? Learning what is a “yes” and what is a “no” is often more art than science, a gut feeling or a sixth sense that something is a fit. It is also a luxury – there are many college students who either do not realize that they are choosing a path of “no” when they leave… Read More
What do I get asked the most? How to get into college Dear Class of 2024: You have finished your first semester of high school. I’m guessing it’s not exactly what you thought it would be a year ago. And while some of that is because of this constantly evolving health crisis keeping everyone at home, some of it is… Read More
Are you surviving high school 2020? Pre-2020, I usually described my job in public education like this: “I enjoy helping students find a pathway that fulfills them – and it’s never boring, never the same thing twice.” While those sentiments still ring true, more recently I’ve been telling people that my job is “herding invisible cats.” I have a sense… Read More
Should you homeschool? More than any other year in recent memory this question is popping up in social media feeds, text threads, and Zoom meet-ups. Here are some thoughts on the topic from Heather Renfro, an experienced educator who chose to homeschool one of her children for several years. Connect with her at hrenfro@gmail.com. Part of an occasional series featuring… Read More
As much of the country returns to school in some mode of distance or hybrid remote learning, you may be working to set up your at-home space to facilitate learning for a variety of ages and learning styles. Because our son received extended school year services this summer remotely, we have had an extra amount of time to practice –… Read More