When holidays and birthdays roll around, adults are tasked with finding the “perfect” gift for the children in their lives. With so many options, it can be exhausting, and quite expensive. I’m here to tell you that the most important gifts a child can receive are the materials and tools Read more…
As a mother of two sons and wife of a car enthusiast, I often get dragged into experiences that are not in my comfort zone. I’ve watched countless superhero movies, attended numerous car shows, and most recently viewed a matinee of Ford v Ferrari. I will confess this was one of Read more…
Growing up in a large Italian family, we would gather nearly every Sunday at my Grandma Susie’s house for dinner. “Dinner” is probably an understatement… It was more like a feast! She made the most incredible meals and desserts. Even her salad dressing was to die for! No matter what Read more…
April is National Poetry Month, but it is also standardized testing season. As a public educator, I have the utmost respect for the laws that govern our institutions of learning. However, many educators, including myself, advocate for a more holistic approach to assessing student achievement and holding schools accountable. It Read more…
Ambitious Talented Tenacious Authentic That’s what “A.T.T.A. Girl!” stands for. It’s also what you say to a girl doing something others said she couldn’t… or shouldn’t. I was introduced to this concept two years ago when we hired Kristen Fulgenzio, a bright and passionate elementary educator with a vision of Read more…
Everything you need to know you learned in Kindergarten. It’s such a simple, yet profound statement, one that reflects my appreciation for the pedagogical practices that are prevalent in early childhood classrooms. When you walk into a Kindergarten classroom, there is something uniquely captivating about it. Learning is social and Read more…
Valid question… Right?! I often get asked this when gushing about Miss Makey and the Magic Bin, or sharing my passion for making as an instructional strategy. I could respond to this question both literally and figuratively. Literally, the students are making just about anything out of absolutely everything. They Read more…