What is Married to an Atheist A Love Story From Idaho?

Student Motivation as a Parent and as a Teacher

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

Transformation

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

Teachers Making a Difference Despite Ongoing Difficulties

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,

Janelle Stear

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