Teaching Teens in the 21st

I've been struggling with a lot of anxiety this pregnancy. It's been hard to pinpoint why. Sure, the daily stresses of handling a toddler, balancing the budget, paying bills (so many bills), getting it all done, and trying to take care of myself add up, but I couldn't understand why I was having such a hard time, struggling to catch my breath all day long. Then today I cried...a lot. I don't cry in the primal sense a lot...I cry at things like cute videos and heartwarming stories, but not that bubbling up from the pit of your stomach emotional crying that's raw and real, but today it came. A lot of people have said to me, in an effort to be comforting, "Don't worry, Gracie won't even remember a time when it was just her..." I totally and completely get why people say that, and on some levels it's a wonderful thing, but it also makes me so sad. For the past nineteen months we have poured our heart and soul into this sweet little miracle we nev

Hi everyone! Hope you are all enjoying your summer break! Whether it's just beginning or you've been on break for a bit, don't miss this awesome opportunity from Scholastic Magazine  to win $1,000 this summer ! All it takes is a selfie like this!  While I may not be going on a glamorous vacation, or even the beach this summer, I am spending a lot of quality time hanging out in the kiddie pool with Miss Toddlesworth and the bump, trying to avoid the heat! If you haven't ever used Scope or seen the magazine, I just wanted to point out three of my favorite things about this particular Scholastic Magazine, especially for middle school.  1. Their non-fiction informational text is AWESOME for identifying text features. If you're looking for great examples of text features, this is the section for you! There is a wide variety, and it's easy enough for students to identify independently or in partners, and assess the author's purpose in choosing