Janelle Stear

Working with some amazingly talented and dedicated teaching professionals in the last fifteen years has been a privilege for me.  Regardless of what is happening in the Statehouse with local education needs and initiatives, teachers in the State of Idaho are making due with what they have and what they do not have in order to provide the best education possible for students. I have specific colleagues who can attest to that fact. I also have evidence from other teachers across the country who are similarly just trying to make the best of what they have in order to teach the students. Of course, some state educators this past spring walked out of their classrooms to show legislatures they are fed up with the lack of respect and pay for them. I do not see Idaho educators walking out because we know we cannot take the time away from students when we already have limited time with them, especially when students are so far behind already. One of my good friends and mentors,

Delta Kappa Gamma- International Society for Key Women Educators I am a member of the Delta Kappa Gamma (DKG). My mother and mother in law have been members for a long time. They were both excited when I became a teacher and could join them. They enjoy the organization because it provides them an outlet for gathering with teacher friends to discuss issues with education. They also like that they can make connections with other members from around the state, such as at the annual Alpha Nu State Convention every June, and at the different events where we have guest speakers to inform us about community happenings. During this most recent convention, held in Boise, I stayed with my moms at the Holiday Inn Express. I thoroughly enjoyed being away from home for a few days as though I were at a women's retreat far up in the mountains. I enjoyed the comfort of the modern decor, comfortable couches, and clean rooms with the addition of familiar faces. At the convention, I was met wit

Student Motivation as a Parent and as a Teacher By Janelle Stear, June 11, 2018 As a parent, which is best for my child: public school or charter school?  I have two children who just finished grades second and fifth in a local public school. I also have just finished teaching in a high school public school, the same district.  With my own children, I had started reading with them at an early age. They saw me go through my Master's Program and how dedicated I was at being successful myself.  My children are at the top of their classes. My fifth grade daughter recently scored above average on her Reading, Writing, and Science ISATs. She reads at a high school level. She often helps her peers for assignments because she seems to understand the directions quicker. Her teacher told her on her report card to "go and conquer the world." She not only does well on her academics, but my daughter also has many ideas for writing stories, and for ma

A dear friend and colleague, Connie B., recently told me about her five steps to positive mindfulness. Connie is a school counselor and a private psychologist. I have known her three years, but have just started visiting with her to understand the wide range of insight and wisdom she has to offer others. I have been practicing, or attempting to practice, the steps as a way to change my mindset from negative to positive. Here is my analysis based on Connie's five steps. Step One: What is my feather? Emily Dickinson - “Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul - and sings the tune without the words - and never stops at all.” What elements are required for you to put your hope above all? I need to find what I put my hope into that is bigger than myself. I have been neglectful of my own faith. I must repent and transform myself to be more like God’s intention/image. Integrate this language into my actions, words, and thoughts to own it. This creates the i

In January 2018, I set a goal to lose thirty pounds. Now I have set this goal before and met it before. That was 2013 before starting my teaching certification program and Master's in Education. Since 2013, all of the weight that I had lost with pride came back on through my own dependence for food and alcohol to deal with stress. Food and alcohol became my crutch, my go to solution for getting through assignments, tests, lesson plans, and yes, especially my research thesis that ended up being eighty-eight pages with fourteen pages of APA source information. August 2013 to August 2015, I gained probably fifteen pounds. Wait, then I started my first year teaching English 9 and English 10. Of course after all of that work to prepare for this experience, nothing prepared me for how to deal with the immense stress I would put on myself. Now, let me figuratively put this first year in mind for you. Imagine you were in my place. You have to climb a mountain with an ice pack of col