Category Archives: books

Education Week Teacher: Teachers Stay Because They Made a Choice to Serve

Education Week Teacher imageI was happy to have the opportunity to answer a question for the Education Week Teacher blog. It was: Why do some teachers stay at difficult to staff schools? What are the rewards? What do these long term teachers learn about specific communities & learning that benefit their students?

Three educators from across the country, in different educational environments were asked this same question. This post shares our answers. It was my honor to share insight from and with my fellow educators on this topic.

 

 

The Order of the Trees on Twitter

One of my favorite places to fit in a little writing each day is Twitter. Brief, pointed, and focused text– high engagement, low risk. I love it. Here’s what some folks have been saying about my new middle grade fiction book on Twitter:

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The Order of the Trees (idea babies, rejection, and a policy)

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(This is a speech I made at the official launch of my middle grade fiction book on May 1, 2015, called The Order of the Trees. I feel so lucky that all these families came to talk about reading, ideas, and writing!)

I’m so excited and thrilled to see you all here. Thank you for making the time to come. It is truly an amazing community in which to live and work. I am very thankful.

Now about this book. You see, I have always written. In journals, late at night, while waiting, observing the world. I started writing for kids about 15 years ago. Over the course of that time I wrote, edited, and sent out work. I received many rejections. Some hand written, lovely and kind, but still rejections. I won’t pretend they didn’t hurt. But I have developed a policy.

The world will tell you NO. They will tell you all the problems with your ideas. The world is very good at that.

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