I’m a dancer…Give me the chance to come through– The Music and the Mirror lyrics from A Chorus Line I think dancers are the most beautiful people on Earth. Look at the way a ballerina carries herself. She is graceful, long, and elegant. A dancer’s regal carriage is strong and confident. Isadora Duncan said, The …

Forever Dance/ Forever YoungRead More

May is such a busy month! There are: graduations, ball games, recitals, school award programs, end-of-year parties…I naturally increase my chocolate intake during the month of May! It’s too easy to say, “I’m so busy!” Everyone is busy the month of May, everyone’s head is spinning! Just think, if there was an “I’m so busy” …

I will survive May…with chocolate!Read More

“I must be right. Never an aspirin. Never injured a day in my life. The whole country, the whole world, should be doing my exercises. They’d be happier.” -Joseph Pilates said this one year before he died at the age of 87. As a second grade teacher and a certified Pilates instructor, I have married my …

Ashley’s Pilates for Kids Class Get to Know Joe and say…Ich mag Pilates!Read More

  Charlotte’s Web belongs in a very special class of literature. It’s a classic and not only does it appeal to children and young adults but also adults. I’m in my tenth year of teaching second grade. This means I have read E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web for a decade now and every year it just keeps getting better! …

Flying Lessons from Charlotte’s WebRead More

Have you ever met someone who is famous and an inspiration to you and when meeting face to face you find your brain slows down so much that you don’t know what you are saying or doing? Well, I recently had that moment meeting Giada De Laurentiis on her book tour for Giada at Home. My friend Craig …

Giada De Laurentiis, Everyday Italian MomRead More

When reading The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate, I would have thought Jacqueline Kelly was born and raised a Texas girl. It was shocking to me when I read she was born in New Zealand and raised in Canada. That is dramatically different from Texas (even though she did live here later on). Another interesting fact …

The Evolution of Calpurnia TateRead More

We are approaching the end of the school year. With teacher appreciation week coming up I found it suitable to write about gifts of thanks! Parents are the most important teachers a child has and if your child sees you modeling appreciation they are likely to follow suit. It’s always nice to have words of …

It’s the thought that counts when it comes to teachers’ giftsRead More

Style is personal! I think as long as you love what you’re wearing and it makes you happy and feel good, then you have style. It’s easy to spot “the followers” (those who do not have their own style because they copy others). Having style is knowing who you are, what you want to say, …

Style…It’s PersonalRead More

Proverbs give wisdom, the ability to motivate, they help us to empathize and give us hope. They are short sayings that explain a fact or a truth. Some proverbs are difficult to understand, especially for children. Proverbs can be a favorite way for teachers and parents to give age old wisdom to their children. In …

Out of the mouths of babes deux: proverbs written by second gradersRead More

This time of year can be overwhelming for a teacher! I really have to step back and look at the big picture. My second graders have accomplished a lot this year and I am proud! But, with Spring Break five days away and open house looming, I am anxious for this week to go quickly …

Open House, Spring Break, and StaycationsRead More

A smile will almost always make a positive improvement to both the love and work that you have in your life. “Love and work… work and love, that’s all there is. ” According to Sigmund Freud, only two necessities exist for a worthy life – to love and to work. Who knows this better than …

Love, Work, and Lots of SmilesRead More