Blog
The Storyteller
I am a storyteller. That certainly is not a description I would have associated with me before becoming a teacher. Put me in front of students, and there I go. I just can’t help it. Smack dab in the middle of teaching, life stories pop into my head. Like when my fourth graders were learning geography terms, and one of the words was rapids. I spent more time telling about a white-water rafting trip with my sister than time spent reviewing the ten or so terms. How could I help it? She face planted into the bottom of our raft which had six inches of ice-cold melted snow that had been rushing and tumbling and churning around us in a swollen river. And of course, like a good sister, I laughed like a hyena. Seriously. I couldn’t stop even when she cut me that big sister laser-like glare pointed so often at irritating younger siblings. Read more
By Barbara L.
Do-Overs: The Importance of a Clean Slate in the Classroom
A do-over. That is what I want to talk about. Not just a do-over when we return from Thanksgiving Break, hopefully refreshed, even if certainly our pants fit a little tighter. I blame it on those pies. I am speaking on behalf of a do-over every day with every student. Read More
By Barbara L.
The Superpower of Parent-Teacher Relationships
A healthy parent-teacher relationship unlocks the promise within a child. Honor is the super power component in this relationship. Honor authenticates the worth of another in tangible ways. Honor fortifies relationships and motivates those who receive it. Read more
By Vicki V.
Greetings from Shanghai, China

Greetings from Shanghai, China!
We thank you for the gift to our school and the impact it is already having.
Michael E. Partain, M.Ed.
Head of School Learning
Beyond Academy
Shanghai, China