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Top Ten Books of 2022

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I guess this has become a tradition! This was my third year making the goal of reading 100 books in a year. It was a bit harder this year because in September, my commute shortened from 45 minutes without traffic to about 10 minutes. I do not regret having a shorter commute, but it was a bit more challenging to get the books read when I wasn’t listening to them as frequently when I was stuck in traffic. So here is my top 10 list of books that were my favorite in 2022.     1.       What you Wish For by Katherine Center    What You Wish For  was one of the most powerful books that I read this year. First off, I think the title should instead be  The Joy You Choose  because that is much more what the book is about than wishes. This book takes place in an elementary school, which is probably why this book resonated with me so much. You see, I read this at the end of the school year. It had been a very difficult school year for me; I had gotten to the point where I would go home and apply t
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Dawn Bring Light to the Darkest Night

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  Earlier this year, my church asked me to write a devotional for their Christmas booklet, and I wanted to share it with you. While it was an honor to write, God used it to speak to me in so many ways about trusting Him with my heart's biggest desires.  Luke 1:76-79 As Luke wraps up his first chapter, we as readers already have witnessed several miracles. First, God has been silent for over 400 years, and yet, in this first chapter we see God speaking through Gabriel to Elizabeth, Mary, and now Zacharias all in relation to Jesus, the Messiah. The first chapter announces how Mary will miraculously conceive a child (whom Elizabeth recognized as the Messiah), but Zacarias and Elizabeth also have a miraculous birth. The Bible says in verse six that “They were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.” What an honor to be remembered in such a way! And yet the next verse states that “Elizabeth was barren, and they both were now well-
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My Favorite Books of 2021

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Happy New Year, everyone!  For the past two years, I made the personal goal to read 100 books. In 2020, I made it by the skin of my teeth as I frantically finished reading my 100th book on New Year's Eve. This year in 2021, I had a bit of a buffer as I finished the year with 104 books. Now let me clarify, I am perfectly okay with counting audiobooks and picture books (especially because I am a teacher).  As I thought about my books of 2021, I wanted to share with you my ten favorite books of this year.  Nonfiction Outdated: Find Love that Lasts When Dating Has Changed by J.P. Pokluda This was by far one of my favorite books. I loved it so much that I reread it, and I am thinking about rereading it again (I really should just buy my own copy). As a Christian single, I have read books about what a God-centered marriage looks like. Realistically though, that is not the stage that I am in. There are very few books about what being single looks like as a Christian, which is why this boo
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T'was the Night Before Christmas Break 2020

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 Twas the night before Christmas break, and I sat here alone Staring at my computer, and pondering the past year up to now.  The schools had shut down on Friday March 13, and I never got to say goodbye to some of my kids. The children began this year on the computer, in hopes that we would soon be in-person together.   And my students at home, and I in my home began to get to know each other through the screen of a computer. When out from the district, they sent out such an email, that said we had a date to return in-person to school! Away to the classroom I flew like a flash,  Decorated, separated, and stashed. The children arrived and filled up my room, and as I watched, tears bubbled in my eyes to hear their joyous songs and greetings of each other.  When what to my wondering eyes should appear, students caring for each other despite the meters. With laughter and jokes, a few teaching moments my students called pranks, I knew very soon this class was special  as community we built w
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Embracing Your Weaknesses

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Tonight, I saw a Gerry Brooks video.  Now, if you are in education, you likely know his name.  He is a principal with a drawl who creates hilarious videos about education.  Tonight, this one settled a bit differently with me though.  It was a short video where he simply reenacted an interview with a candidate.  He very professionally asks, "What is your weakness?"  He then answers as the interviewee and says, "Classroom management."  Music comes on with the words "Thank you...Next!" I see why this is funny; I really do. But yet, a part of me inside cringed. Maybe it was because I used to be in that position.  I did go to interviews and say that my biggest weakness was classroom management. Now before you start saying anything, that was not all I said.  I did say that it was an area I was continuing to grow in and was finding ways to further develop myself.  I also went on to talk about Whole Brain teaching and how it had changed my teaching. L
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Advice to 1st Year Teachers (Part 2)

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As you may know, my first year of teaching was rough. So rough that now, two full years later, I am still dealing with the scars.  Every day that I have a rough day in the classroom, I think of some of the harsh words spoken to me my first year about my capabilities as a teacher. This is something I combat constantly.  It's a mind shift.  A choice to not let those words define me as a teacher. First year of teaching is so crucial and so difficult. In case you missed it, I would encourage you to check out " Advice to 1st Year Teachers " that I wrote last year. Someone asked me if I was going to do a blog like this every year and build on the information that I learn. Sure!  Why not! So here it goes.  Round 2. I love seeing the excitement of first year teachers.  You are finally getting into the classroom!  It is a dream come true.  Having been there, I want to share advice from my first year so that you can have a much better first year than I did. 1. Whil
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Using Historical Fiction in the Classroom

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Recently, I finished reading The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg.   I absolutely loved it, and I would highly recommend it for upper elementary and above .  When I finished it, I sighed partly because I had enjoyed traveling with Homer and partly because the book was over.  Homer P. Figg lives in Maine during the Civil War.  His adventures begin when he discovers that his older brother was sold into the army on a lie that he was twenty instead of seventeen.  Homer determines that he is going to save his brother from having to fight in the war.  As he ventures forth on his should-be-his horse, he admits that he often stretches the truth.  For example, he tells people that his father was killed by a tree a mile tall; yes, it was a tree, but no it was not a mile tall.  These embellishments add the humor and the personality to his otherwise quite serious and sensitive story.  On his adventures, he meets an abolitionist, an underground conductor, a "medicine&quo
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