on The best leaders are believed to surround themselves with the brightest talent. Former South Texas athletic director Ray Trdla is my uncle. When I was a head coach, he offered the best guidance. He claimed that the best coaches surround themselves with people who are more successful than they are. Not until I held a… Continue Reading Leadership : Mirrors vs. Windows
on Leslie Anaya, MEd. Dec 2 Classical Academic Press On December 1st, 2018 at 12:01 am, educators around the country anxiously logged into their accounts to find out whether they achieved Accomplished Teaching certification from the National Board Certification for Professional Teaching. I was one of them. After months of tedious writing, revising, editing, collecting evidence, combing… Continue Reading My “Not Yet” Journey to National Board Certification
on Katie Martin states, “if we want to ensure students have the skills needed to be successful and productive citizens, it is critical that we model and practice them in our classrooms, schools, and communities” ( Martin, 2018). Additionally, in the text, The Principal as the Assessment Leader, the author maintains that leaders… Continue Reading Creating an Innovation EcoSystem: Aspiring Administrators
on DECEMBER 5, 2017 Neutrality is a fallacy, you either stand on one side or another of an issue. Silence is also taking a stance. Equity for Learners A teacher should never be allowed to pick and choose which students they will ‘teach’. It is unethical for an educator to say” you can stay… Continue Reading Promoting Equity in Education
on JULY 3, 2017 Since January, I have worked so hard to try to gain funding to attend the International Society of Technology and Education Conference(ISTE) in San Antonio. After three different avenues failed to fund attendance at my dream conference, my district (Brownwood ISD) came through and sent me. Since the moment I learned… Continue Reading 3 Myths About Attending ISTE Conference You Should Break
on JUNE 2, 2017 Early this morning I received word that my grandmother had passed away peacefully. This is the woman who took my twin brother and me in, she raised us(for the most part), along with help from several aunts and uncles. My grandmother Mary Elsie Swanson, was a strong Texas woman. She loved… Continue Reading She Taught me to Love Learning
on Recently, like most teachers, I was surfing Pinterest for cute classroom theme and decor ideas. I was also looking up DIY ideas to make bucket seats, crate benches, and other flexible seating options. It seems as though all year-long we are gathering resources and ideas to make our classrooms upbeat and comfortable for all. If… Continue Reading Teacher PD Options You Never Thought Of
on JUNE 11, 2017 With all the Edtech boom in education, sometimes it is difficult as a teacher to decide which experiences are best for our particular students with our own limited edtech knowledge and experiences. Recently I attended a COMPILE workshop at the invitation of Ms. Christy Cate. The AR/VR in Education professional development… Continue Reading Implications of AR/VR Infused Educational Experiences for At-Risk Populations: English Language Learners/ Special Education
on Too Many Irons in the Fire?…. Maybe, Maybe Not Often I hear people talk about being stretched thin due to having ‘too Many Irons in the Fire’. Recently, I have felt similarly. I have also heard people claim that this results in one’s inability to stay focused or create a perceived sense of instability. While… Continue Reading The Art of Single-Tasking
on How might I connect to inspiring, positive, innovative, passionate, change-makers in education to create “new and better learning experiences for my students”? #IMMOOC That’s How!! The process of learning to “do” in order inspire an ‘innovator’s mindset’ in students has been a difficult one. When I say to difficult, I am referring to… Continue Reading Impact of IMMOOC