Tiff4Tat

Summer is here and I still have (let me count them) 28 tabs open on my browser. As a principal of two elementary schools, I’ve had more, I’ve had fewer, but through the school year this number is typical. I find these open tabs a good analogy for the life of a school Principal - we have so many irons in the fire at all times; students to guide, meetings to attend, parents to call, teachers to observe, scheduling and coordinating of assessments and activities, and a school to lead. Big Piney, Wyoming, Elementary School This life of multitasking can be (and often is!) overwhelming for a school leader! When do we find time for professional learning, growth, and, God forbid, some self-care? It’s officially the first day of my summer vacation and while I’ve planted flowers, taken my dogs for a walk, and enjoyed a Roxor ride, I have also spent time today reflecting on the past year while planning for the next one.  Last fall, my Guiding Coalition had determined we’d select a new ELA curr...

In my mid-30’s, I was very much into running. I engaged in a training program that prepared me for a marathon. While I never ran one – I did compete in three half marathons one summer – I found great motivation in the planning and training.  So, when I saw the 2024 Poetry Marathon posted on Facebook, I was very excited. Fifteen years older has slowed me down physically. But, writing? I could do that again.  It’s been seven years since I participated in my first Poetry Marathon.  The Poetry Marathon, a yearly online event, has one goal: To write one poem every hour for 24 hours straight. In 2017, I did just that. Stayed awake for a full 24 hours, writing, thinking, revising.  This year, I opted for the 12-hour version.  To steal some motivations from the Facebook group to rationalize this decision: When the going gets tough, the tough keep writing.  Sometimes the right poem finds you.  Write like you mean it … And a practical, applicable saying for any ...

My mind lives in the land of poetry. Dreaming, connecting, imagining.  Each year, the NCTE Outstanding Poetry for Children Award Committee selects notable poetry books and verse novels published during the calendar year. The awards are announced at the annual National Council of Teachers of English Convention at a ticketed luncheon.  While the texts are chosen with students and teachers in mind, the award winners will capture the hearts and minds of all lovers of the poetic language.  Today, I am going to play with form and poetry, using the titles from the 2023 winners.  At the Pond , spring springs to life,  A Seed in the Sun is planted,  while Mother Goose sings  Maya’s Song as she Goes to India ,  and silly dogs chime in with verses  from “ Behold our Magical Garden ,”  where there is Room for Everyone , riding  on Marshmallow Clouds , a Patchwork on the way to The Door of No Return where The Hope of Elephants travel The Roa...

I have fallen in love with comic books. With the ability of creators to tell complete stories using text and art, color and space. And, of course, with the superhero. The character that is always brave or strong, selfless and courageous, adaptable, driven, inquisitive. The appeal of the superhero is understandable. The motivations, the skill sets, the weaknesses. All on display. All for consumption, ridicule, or enjoyment.  School leaders have their own skill sets. For me, coaching and bringing out the best in my team are essential to my role as a leader. I show compassion and respect for the people I lead, the families and students with whom I work. I place high value on deliberate planning and lead with stability and consistency. I have had the wonderful opportunity to work with Sage Hobbs Coaching during the past three years in a Principal Leadership Program. Communication, leadership, and emotional intelligence are three cornerstones of the program. My work in the program is o...

  “Before making any decision or attempting to bring about any change, great principals ask themselves one central question: What will my best teachers think of this?” Todd Whitaker asks that question on p. 87 in What Great Principals Do Differently: 18 Things That Matter Most (2012). As I reflect on the literacy moves made during the 2023-2024 school year, I think of the times great teachers have been involved in the decision-making process.  The times great teachers have shared ideas.  The times great teachers have had a voice and choice.  Great principals Do . Using that framework, I have included in this week’s blog three key themes to lead a literacy focused school: Be visible as a literacy leader, make reading and books accessible, and engage your greatest teachers (the rest will follow), all students, and your family and learning community.  What follows are practical, easy-to-implement practices for principals to make literacy come alive in your buildin...

“I wrote this piece because I believe it’s my duty as a Mexican American to change people’s minds about Mexicans and stereotypes people say about them because I believe that everyone is equal and everyone should be respected”  – Virginia, fourth-grade writer Turn to page 83 in Cultivating Young Multilingual Writers: Nurturing Voices and Stories In and Beyond the Classroom Walls written by Tracey T. Flores and Maria E. Franquiz, and you will find this quote from Virginia, although her story begins in Chapter 1. This text to teach young writers is dedicated to families. Two beliefs throughout the book stress that writing can be taught and all teachers can teach writing.  On May 2, I had the opportunity to facilitate a conversation with three brilliant educators: Franquiz, Angie Zapata, and Franki Sibberson. The session was titled “NCTE Heart, Hope, and Humanity: Student Engagement in Elementary Spaces” hosted by School Library Journal and Library Journal in partnership with the...

I can’t find the just-right word to describe the moment I open a gift from my mom.  Experience.  Adventure.  Delightful.  Episodic.  To all the moms out there who send gifts on their own terms – authentic, honest and wrapped in love or newspaper or comic strips – I want us all to remember that laughter is the best gift.  The Reading Experience Some of the neatest conversations I have with my mom are around literature. She faithfully visits her local library and picks up three books at a time.  She hates fiction – “Why would I read made up stories that are dumb?” she asked me once. She loves nonfiction, as you will notice from the books shared.  Each book she sends to me is a treasure. Some of the most recent titles are here: Stephen King’s On Writing to explore craft. I have read and re-read this book. For anyone wanting to begin or improve their writing approach and technique, this is for you. Upstairs Girls: Prostitution in the American West b...