Latest posts
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Igniting Student Creativity Using Adobe Express in the Classroom
I’m guilty, several times in my past, of creating an assignment for students and simply telling them to “be creative!” As someone who can engage in creative acts, I’ve known that I struggle when I do not have a deep connection with the prompt. I’ve also become overwhelmed with ideas and die a slow death…
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Happy Friday: New Music + Edpuzzle For the Win!
I love Friday. Not because it’s the end of the week, but because I can listen to all of the new music released on Thursday night and Friday morning! So, I will make sure, in addition to talking about the application of a tech tool, I’ll also be sharing my favorite listen of the week!…
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Staying One Chapter Ahead: A Day in the Life of an Academic Interventionist.
Just as last year, I’ve changed positions, and the transition has disrupted my desire to write more on my blog (and the podcast). Guess what, Stella has gotten her groove back, and I’ll be publishing at least twice a week on the website, and unveiling a new podcast on the first Wednesday in October! I’ve…
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Coming Soon: My Top Takeaways from ISTE Live 2025
Holy crap, I thought I would leave #ISTELive knowing I had a great time, but I didn’t know both my head and my heart would be overflowing with love and ideas! As I reflect on the vibrant atmosphere of ISTE Live 2025, I feel invigorated by the collective passion for transforming education through technology. This…
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I Was Born for This: Reclaiming My Voice
Reclaiming Our Voices: Embracing Change and Growth in Education Navigating Personal Loss and Professional Growth Things shifted for me both personally and professionally throughout 2023. My mother was in and out of the hospital and various rehab facilities for various medical issues. This never-ending domino effect finally took its toll. Tragically, we lost my mother…
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Another Reason to Brisk It! (Exciting TCEA Updates)
After my presentation this morning concluded, I looked to see what else I had put on my schedule that I considered a do-not-miss. The first item on the docket was a session about using Brisk Teaching in your classroom. While I had seen and participated in several webinars on Brisk virtually, I knew I wanted…
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Getting Back in the Saddle: Tackling My Pre-Presentation Jitters at TCEA
I love being a walking contradiction. I’ve forged most of my identity and career in the world of competitive speech and debate. As a coach and former competitor, you’d think getting in front of an audience would be no-sweat. I’ve presented at state and local conferences before, I’ve done small booth sessions or rapid-fire table…
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Discovering Connections: My First AMLE Conference Experience
On last week’s episode of Plai Around and Find Out, I talked about my excitement for this weekend’s AMLE (Association of Middle Level Educators) conference in Nashville. Not only was it my first conference of the 2024-2025 school year, the first conference focused on middle school of my career, but it was also my first…
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Why I’m Making the Switch to Mastery Learning Through the Grid Method
For the past two months, I have been part of the Teach Better Team‘s inaugural Grid Method cohort. The goal has been simple, to create an instructive and collaborative learning environment to create amazing mastery learning oriented plans for our variety of students and courses taught. My goal for the fall is for 100% of…
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Understanding SchoolAI for Real-Time Feedback in the Classroom
SchoolAI is a game-changer in the world of education. This powerful tool revolutionizes classroom feedback by providing real-time insights into student performance. It’s like having a teacher’s assistant for every student! With SchoolAI, teachers can easily student’s understanding of different concepts, identify areas for improvement, and offers instant feedback unique to the answers students give…