Special Note: This is blog post entry 4 of a blog series titled: Reimagining the Magic of the Workshop Model. Blog post 1 in the series can be found here: Reimagining the Magic of the Workshop Model Series 1: Inviting Change. Blog post 2 can be found here: Reimagining the Magic of the Workshop Model Series 2: Rallying …
Continue reading Reimagining the Magic of the Workshop Model Series 4: Honoring the Framework
This Time Last Year My first full week of the 2020-2021 school year is in the books! And although I have had 15 first weeks in education... let me tell you something, this particular first week was WILD!!!!!! If you would have told me this time last year, “Lauren, this time next year, you will …
Swiping the Calendar I think it is safe to say that I have stared at the calendar this week more than any other app on my phone. When I open the calendar app to get the full view, I immediately begin swiping backward. First I count how many months it’s been since March 13, 2020. …
Not the Typical Summer Summers… they are usually a time to exhale, a time to rejuvenate, a time to focus on self-care, a time to engage in meaningful professional learning, a time to reunite, and spend quality time with people you hold dear. In my family, summers are for birthday celebrations, attending sporting events, gathering with …
The Cornerstone of Connections Relationships are the cornerstone of the meaningful connections we make throughout our lives. They are the bridge between who we are, how we can meaningfully impact others, and make a difference. When I look back on the best learning experiences I have had throughout the course of my life, I remember …
My Perpetual Internal Clock 5:30 am… this is the time my morning routine begins. This is the time, my mind begins to race as I instantly start to think about all of the things I want to accomplish in my day. This is the time my internal clock is set to, even when I don’t …
My Eternal Mental Movie I’ll never forget my fourth-grade teacher, Mrs. Roth. Although I was only 9 years old, I can still remember thinking that she was one of the most innovative and inspiring teachers I’ve ever had. She had this unbelievable ability to make you feel special and valued. She celebrated your strengths and …
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Living in a Learning Bubble I have to admit that the last several months have felt like we were confined to our own pandemic learning bubbles. At times it even felt like being trapped in a bubble of chaos, uncertainty, overconsumption of technology, along with many other layers of unknowns. Something interesting to know about …
Continue reading Wonder Surrounds Us: Cultivating Habits of Discovery in Learners
My Confession I have a confession to make...I am a literacy nerd. I have another confession to make...I used to despise most things involving literacy. You may be wondering how someone who now lives and breathes all things literacy once felt that way. As I reflect on the evolution of my learning journey (grade school-present), …
Continue reading Boosting Student Engagement Through Meaningful Science Literacy Experiences
The Epicenter of Learning I left the classroom many years ago, and until this very day, I can still feel the grieving and empty feeling of not having students to call my own. It is the kind of feeling that makes your heart pound and twists your stomach into knots. The thought of not being …
Continue reading Leaving Footprints in the Hearts of Students
Empower. Collaborate. Connect. 