The Newest Blogger for Stories From School Az

I have an exciting new opportunity to share with you! I will be blogging for Stories From School Az and my first post went up this past Friday. Stories From School Az has bloggers write about how education practice meets policy, and I'm thrilled to be a part of the team! 

Check out my first post!

Big News!

A lot has gone on in my little break from blogging.. and luckily it was all good things! I thought I'd share one of the big things that happened.

I got engaged! 

Matt and I were hiking along the Oregon coast over spring break, and when we got to this beautiful view of the coast and the forest he proposed. 

Let the wedding planning begin... 

Welcome to 2nd Grade Post Cards

Sending your students a welcome letter or post card prior to school isn't a brand new idea. It's something I've done for the past 2 years, and today I want to share a story about the impact this little thing had on one of my students. 

I was getting a student that I knew was going to give me a run for my money this year. He had a 1:1 aide for his behavior, and was always seen around school crying and giving his aide a hard time. I kept an open mind since kids can grow up a lot over the summer, and a fresh start may just be what the doctor ordered. 

Well, a lot happened to this little one over the summer, and not the type of things you would hope for. The family wasn't sure if he was even enrolled anywhere, and the post card I sent out was a huge relief for them - it was one less thing to worry about!

But, that's just the tip of the iceberg. On the first day of school -- they got the postcard after Meet the Teacher Night -- he came up to me and very politely said "Thank you so much for the card, Ms. Corrigan. I really enjoyed reading it, and I'm so excited to be in your class!".

He still gave me a run for my money while he was in my class, but because that postcard started the year off right with him. I was able to build a positive relationship with him and his family. His behavior improved drastically, and he no longer required an aide for behavior. 

It's a small gesture, but it can make a big difference! What do you send home before the school year starts?

Calling All Mentor Teachers!

This past year I had the opportunity to mentor two amazing student teachers. If you haven't taken the leap into mentoring, I highly suggest it! I think I learned as much from them as they learned from me. So, I want to share some tips and tricks with you about mentoring your student teacher. 

Only problem is, I have WAY too much to say about the topic. So, what information would be helpful? Between both of the student teachers I worked with I have seen A LOT, so I'm sure I'll have some helpful advice for working with yours! 

Let me know what you'd like to see in the comments!

The Blogging Drought is Over!

I am BACK!! 

I never planned to take a break from blogging. But, sometimes life gets in the way! I am dying to share what I've been up to since the minute I took a break from blogging, but I'm sure there's a character limit to how much you can put in one blog post. So, for now I'll summarize my break in one sentence:

National Board Certification is A LOT of work!

Now that I've submitted my portfolio, and I'm in for the long wait until December 2018, I've found so much more free time! I can read, relax, and of course - blog! I'll be back soon with new ideas, stories from my classroom, and resources.