I have gleaned three wise teachings from King Lear's fool and each one informs my practice in the classroom more and more each day.

I, among other things, define myself as a rapper, and it’s a fact of which my students are all too aware.

I have lost count of the number of times I have been told that rules without relationships lead to rebellion. Yet today, relationships with students seem to be feared instead of embraced. Over the years, quite by accident, I have discovered that this precept from days gone by is critical to classroom rules and to learning itself. Relationships are an essential part of learning, especially relationships between teachers and students.

A day as a teacher is filled with unpredictability, split-second decisions, and a go-go-go mentality that begins as soon as students set foot in the building. In a day like that, a meeting is a brief respite.

Here is some helpful advice for educators just beginning the long journey to establishing a successful, effective technology classroom.

This past year, in a small Midwest community, we lost a student to a drug overdose. We have lost many more to drug addiction, and although we haven’t attended their funerals, they are no longer the students we once knew, while some are unrecognizable.

Most people tend to assume that my students are capable of less-than-stellar academic performances because they have complicated lives outside school.

In my classroom, I focus on taking the time to intentionally and thoughtfully form positive and meaningful relationships with my students.

As a newer interventionist, I faced a formidable task: engage reluctant readers and address their needs with minimal resources for an entire 90 minutes.