Paula White

Leadership Should Permeate Everything You Do

Posted by Paula White ⋅ December 19, 2013 ⋅ Leave a comment

Today I got my annual “Happy Holidays” email from my Superintendent. It never ceases to amaze me how she turns everything into something to make us think. Leadership does permeate everything she does. Here’s the latest from our Coop Catalyst friend and author, Pam Moran (and I post this with her permission.): Dear Colleagues: … Continue reading →

Bridges and Ignoring Old Lessons

Posted by Paula White ⋅ April 28, 2013 ⋅ 5 Comments

Tinkering… makerspaces… engineering… design thinking… learning spaces… robotics… coding… These are all things that are big in my county right now… along with a HUGE push to use technology (all kinds of technologies, in all kinds of ways) and social media tools to connect kids and teachers to the world. Sounds incredibly progressive, right? Our … Continue reading →

Why is Storytelling Important?

Posted by Paula White ⋅ April 1, 2013 ⋅ 4 Comments

I’ve recently become a member of the Executive Committee of the ISTE Special Interest Group about Digital Storytelling (#SIGDS on Twitter) and we’re trying to reach out to increase our membership and to “learn, share and celebrate the art of digital storytelling for learning.” We’re beginning Tweetchats this week, Wednesday at 9:00 PM ET, with … Continue reading →

Coop Connections and #RECHAT

Posted by Paula White ⋅ December 29, 2012 ⋅ 4 Comments

All of us here can speak to someone else here who has made a difference in our lives, I think. That goes for everyone–readers, writers, thinkers, all….This is a great place to share, to learn to think together and grow as catalysts for each other and others not here. John T Spencer is one of … Continue reading →

The Monday After Newtown

Posted by Paula White ⋅ December 17, 2012 ⋅ 6 Comments

I really hate coming to school the first day after a school incident somewhere else. No one ever knows whether it will be a biggie to our kids or not, so we have to prepare and really think through how to support our kiddos. I don’t mind that, in fact, I want to be prepared … Continue reading →

Kidwatching From Afar

Posted by Paula White ⋅ December 3, 2012 ⋅ 1 Comment

I’m sitting in the digital sandbox at VSTE, our state conference, thinking about the sessions I’ve seen so far. Most presenters I have watched have made some big assumptions about classes, teachers and learning that are mostly good- not using devices for skill and drill, assuming kids have access to technology and looking at ways … Continue reading →

Stories of Impact

Posted by Paula White ⋅ November 24, 2012 ⋅ 8 Comments

I am a teacher. I love teaching and learning with kids, and I have a way of relating to kids that is unique, meaningful and worthwhile. I do things very differently from many other teachers and that sets me apart. (Sometimes that’s a good thing and sometimes that’s NOT a good thing.) I’ve always been blessed, … Continue reading →

My week…so far

Posted by Paula White ⋅ November 7, 2012 ⋅ 9 Comments

This past Monday our county had its yearly “Making Connections” conference. We began this about 9 or 10 years ago, so that teachers in one school could find out what teachers in another school are doing…so that vanguards could share their trials and others could learn from them (and hopefully save making the same mistakes)…so … Continue reading →

Getting Smarter Together

Posted by Paula White ⋅ October 21, 2012 ⋅ 4 Comments

I love working with kids. Those of you who read my writing, or know me, know this about me. They energize me, make me think, bring me laughter, tears and questions, and they constantly amaze me. I’ve been teaching for a very long time and people often ask me when I am going to retire. … Continue reading →

Education: The Past, The Present and The Future #2

Posted by Paula White ⋅ June 16, 2012 ⋅ 10 Comments

You know you’ve read a good post when it makes you have several different thoughts about something important. While this post begins like another, it has a totally different ending… Recently I read an article from District Administrator magazine entitled, “The Three New Pillars of 21st Century Learning” … Continue reading →

Education: The Past, the Present and the Future

Posted by Paula White ⋅ June 16, 2012 ⋅ 7 Comments

Recently I read an article from District Administrator magazine entitled, “The Three New Pillars of 21st Century Learning” … Continue reading →

Making Schools about Learning Again

Posted by Paula White ⋅ June 10, 2012 ⋅ 5 Comments

I have to say I was one of those kids for whom “school was okay.” I didn’t hate it, but neither did I love it–and I was, and am, a lifelong learner. I like learning, even when it’s hard–I get great pleasure out of figuring something out, gaining new knowledge that I can then use, … Continue reading →

What a Difference 2 Years Makes

Posted by Paula White ⋅ April 17, 2012 ⋅ 5 Comments

In May, 2010, I wrote this post about being our school’s testing coordinator. How things have changed since then…. Last week, I had a kid ask to take another SOL-like test because, as her homeroom teacher put it, “she is a nervous kid and so anxious to do well.” I’m teaching a 5th grade literacy … Continue reading →

Choosing to Leave the Limiting Behind

Posted by Paula White ⋅ April 14, 2012 ⋅ 9 Comments

While exploring the book Walk Out, Walk On, I found myself being caught by certain phrases…words that spoke to my very being because they resonate within me. “…people’s capacity to self-organize is the most powerful change process there is.” Kids constantly tell me my classroom is different from others they are in or have been … Continue reading →

When Coming To Work Is Play…

Posted by Paula White ⋅ March 13, 2012 ⋅ 2 Comments

One thing I love about teaching Kindergarten is that the kids are looking to play all the time. I went to school each day in a joyful frame of mind because the kids were so happy and fun to talk with and learn from and teach and share with and watch and see grow. The … Continue reading →