Today is my first official day of summer after my 28th year in public education. I had the joy of celebrating the graduation of kids I welcomed as kindergarteners at my K-12 school. As an instructional coach, I’ve been with them through it all. I love teaching alongside teachers I coach. A 🧵

My amazing school is hiring! CSLA is a K-12 Paideia school in Chattanooga. We are looking for amazing people for 2 positions: 🔭 5th grade Science/social studies (full time) 🪅Middle school Spanish (.75 part time) Check us out: csla.hcde.org Apply here: careers.hcde.org/jobs (search for CSLA)

Louder for the folks in the back…

Every single one of the astronauts who went to the moon and back on Artemis II was educated at a public school. Thinking of the teachers who poured into Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen tonight. You helped send a kid to the moon! 🌕 💛

@heymrsbond.com How lovely to hear your voice this morning on my drive to work…Great to hear from your students, too! www.npr.org/2026/01/28/n...

Happy to visit the @magicschoolai.bsky.social booth at #FETC26!

I’m excited to be in Orlando for #FETC26! Come learn with me! @gregbagby.bsky.social @factorseducation.bsky.social

Thank you, @marcusluther.bsky.social, for putting words to how so many of us are feeling. I often feel I live in that space in between, holding two contradictory things at once.

Hey institutions that host professional development, podcasts, ed news, ed conferences, etc: Educators are desperate to hear from other educators about what’s working in their classrooms TODAY. Find the practicing educators and give them resources to teach other educators.

✨ It’s here! National Paideia Seminar Day ✨ Today we celebrate the heart of the Paideia philosophy—the Seminar. Across the country, students and educators are coming together to practice thoughtful dialogue, ask big questions, and grow as lifelong learners. #NationalPaideiaSeminarDay

Our small group of alumni & retirees had a lovely conversation tonight for #NationalPaideiaSeminarDay. We discussed the poem Shoulders by Naomi Shihab Nye. Let’s take care of each other! #JoyAtSchool @paideiacenter.bsky.social

During seminar at @WeAreCSLA today, a kindergartener said, “Sometimes we don’t agree with each other. That’s OK.” Their second seminar ever, and they already have the basics! #NationalPaideiaSeminarDay #PaideiaLearning #JoyAtSchool

For #NationalPaideiaSeminarDay, 8th gr discussed a political cartoon from Rev War. Discussion was lively. Points were hotly debated. When a student came in late as seminar was ending, the teacher heard her friend say, "Girl, you missed the best seminar!" We are so glad she approved! #JoyAtSchool

Happy National Paideia Seminar Day! We kicked off last night with a parent seminar: Shoulders by Naomi Shihab Nye. Amazing discussion! So honored to hear varied perspectives of our parents! From strangers to caring community in one seminar! #PaideiaSeminar #JoyAtSchool @paideiacenter.bsky.social

My feed needs a cleanse, so here are some things that brought me joy today at Eagles’ Nest, our K-12 school-wide assembly to celebrate our philosophy, #Paideia. #JoyAtSchool 1/6

We had a district walkthrough in our middle and high school the other day. The feedback was largely about the joy and respectful collaboration they saw all over the school. JOY. In middle and high school! That is worth celebrating! #JoyAtSchool #PaideiaLearning

This!

Our librarian just said, “Oh, you guys are 3rd graders. You can get 3 books, not just 2!” The buzz of pure joy that went through library is giving me life! #JoyAtSchool

My district had a session on JOY at the summer leadership institute! Session included brain science and strategies for joy. Each school team created a vision board for cultivating joy. Joy matters! #JoyAtSchool

K-12 gathered to honor our first *ever* senior class & 3 retirees: 2 beloved teachers & our principal. I have been a part of this class’s education at CSLA since they were in K, and have had the honor of serving with the principal for 16 yrs. I cried bittersweet tears, but mostly felt #JoyAtSchool!

Have you found any #JoyAtSchool lately? Please share the good stuff happening at your school! We can always use more joy!

Yesterday our 7th graders helped their kindergarten buddies fly kites. Kite Day always is always full of #JoyAtSchool!

State testing is hard on everyone, but we found #JoyAtSchool in the middle of it with ArtsFest! There was art and music from elem, MS, and HS. Perfect evening for our school community! (4 photos aren’t enough to show all the awesomeness and joy!)

When your HS science teacher hatches ducklings in her classroom, there is so much #JoyAtSchool!

Some 2nd graders learned the hard way that aggressively stabbing a hot sauce packet with a spork is NOT the most efficient way to open it. #LunchDuty

I had some first graders rolling with the knock knock classic, “Orange you glad I didn’t say banana?” #JoyAtSchool #LunchDuty

I’m having a healthy debate with a kindergartener about whether or not spaghetti is are pasta. I’m not winning. #JoyAtSchool #LunchDuty

I’m working on an online coaching course. One of the reflections today helped me see how well my work aligns with my values. I’m so very grateful! #Paideia #LifelongLearner

Fostering reading joy isn’t about joyful reading. It’s about co-creating the conditions for joyful readers. Because joyful readers exist even when they’re not reading

This is on the money! I would add that tools need an easy way for teachers to see which students have NOT completed things. It needs to be across various classes so we don’t have to go into every class to check.

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A2 I feel more focused this year! Having a coach partner has been a game changer. I’ve been able to do more actual coaching with teachers than I have the past few years. Also finally getting some traction with one particularly resistant teacher. Feeling the #JoyatSchool! #leadlap

I’m wrestling with the balance between engaging reading instruction/magical learning and the need for kids to perform well on the (too numerous) standardized tests. I want more magic, but we also have to keep scores up to be allowed to keep doing the magic! #leadlap

💯 #JoyatSchool #EduSky

We danced the night away at #TETC! It is amazing to have friends who are brilliant and fun! @juliedavisedu.bsky.social @ashgburns.bsky.social @mospillman.bsky.social @pnabbie.bsky.social @techtips411.bsky.social

It was an honor to present with @gregbagby.bsky.social, Adrianne Cowan, Michelle Bettis, and @juliedavisedu.bsky.social at #TETC. Also enjoyed the amazing keynote by @lesliefisher.bsky.social. #LifelongLearning

It was fun to connect with friends last night! Looking forward to a day of learning at #TETC today!

In case you missed the big parade today, here’s a snippet of balloons on parade from #STEAM classes. Kids are awesome! Enjoy! #PaideiaLearning #JoyatSchool #Thanksgiving #EduSky

Today a 3rd grader shyly asked me, “Do you remember when I used to come in your office and cry every day?” That was when she was a kinder (the first time). I hugged her and said I did, and I love seeing her happier and reading and thriving now. She smiled and hugged me back. Day made #JoyatSchool

Genuine question for my new #EduSky community: How do you balance genuine, meaningful teaching of reading (deep discussions, great texts, joy of a good book) with prep for how reading is tested on standardized tests? Mainly thinking about gr 3-5 this week.

Genuine question for my new #EduSky community: How do you balance genuine, meaningful teaching of reading (deep discussions, great texts, joy of a good book) with prep for how reading is tested on standardized tests? Mainly thinking about gr 3-5 this week.

Amazing parent seminar last night discussing the big ideas in Persistence of Memory: Time, Memory & Imagination, Experience, Creativity. So many perspectives! Parents appreciated insight into what their kids do each week in seminar. #PaideiaLearning #PaideiaSeminar #JoyatSchool

I’m looking forward to #TETC2024!

I’m an Instructional Coach at a K-12 public school where #PaideiaLearning gets kids and teens talking, thinking, reasoning, and creating. I am determined to look for, celebrate, and cultivate #JoyAtSchool. I’m here to learn! #LifelongLearner