I just want to remind you that you matter.

In the moments that you doubt where you fit in, go to the grocery store and smile at a stranger in the isle. It matters.

In the middle of the night when your mind races through all the things you could have done differently, pray for someone beside yourself. If your prayers were answered and in the morning, they had changed the world instead of just your individual life how much happier would you be?

Look closely at the picture in this blog. Rick and Denim are world changers. You don't need to know their backgrounds. What you do need to know is why perseverance and a willingness to risk it all to get to the next level matters to them. Like you, they are good, honest, humble, and human.  But before they set out to follow their dream, they set a standard for their life, instead of letting life set the standard.

Their principles protect their life. God’s intention for their journey is evident without them every speaking a word. Understand this truth, His principles for each of our lives are written. Be intentional about seeking God's blessings for your life.

How will you know if God has placed you where you are now standing? You will know He put you there if your purpose is clear and allows you to flourish. God’s provisions grow where He is. You will be given the provisions to fulfill your purpose in the right place and time. You will find comfort in that place because your identity will reflect the real you. The parameters (principles) you align yourself with reflect a standard that protect your identity, investments, and purpose for being there.

What I know after a year into the Pandemic is anything is possible with the right mind-set. Throughout the 2020-2021 school year I continue to teach my students in-person and  online. As with the majority of school districts in our country, funding for additional online resources is not an option. Therefore, I chose to  use personal resources to fund my classroom. On a limited budget I have become extremely conservative on what I purchase. Below are some of the best online tools that I have invested in to create meaningful long-term solutions to the academic challenges my students have faced since online learning began in March 2020. These tools also helped to relieve the very real teacher burnout I experienced while simultaneously creating weekly lessons for in-person and online students. Each of the tools listed have free options. All of the options work with Google Classroom and have Single Sign On (SSO). Based upon student achievement scores that can be correlated with the use of these tools my district is now researching ways to provide funding for these tools in 2021-2022 for the entire campus.

​One positive outcome of the school closure due the COVID-19 is having more time to be creative with online lessons. In the upcoming weeks I will be sharing activities I am asking my students to complete as part of their Online Learning expectations. Below you find the most popular lesson with my student’s. What This Chart Really Means for COVID-19 introduces information about social distancing in an entertaining and relatable animation. The content provides EXCELLENT examples of how to utilize data sets from online sources to perform mathematical analyses and make predictions based on those analyses. I am always searching for engaging ways to reinforce the skill of Interpretation of Data. This video supports that goal beautifully!

My school has been closed because of the Coronavirus. The need to launch an online learning platform that is authentic and honoring of the whole child has been a challenge. But I think we are making progress. Check out our school solution here. The level of stress has gone down as teachers begin to streamline resources and experience. PBLworks is an excellent resource for inspiration. Below you will find some of the best tools to create engaging online lessons for free.

Objective:
Understand why tension (pulling apart) and compression (pushing together) are the two imporant forces of bridge design. 
Essential Questions:
How do bridges work? Can bridges shape society? What type of impact does a bridge have on the environment? ​

Big Idea:
Students learn that STEM coursework is not necessarily restricted to engineering, but a general concept applicable to all walks of life. 
Key Concepts: 
​Effective STEM curriculum and instruction strengthens  student understanding by providing design challenges related to real world issues. By incorporating various components that inspire entrepreneurship through; digital citizenship; coding and programing; digital story telling; product design; computer aided drawing; and engineering technology, students explore and address real social, economic and environmental problems and seek solutions.