So, I went to the local Walmart yesterday to pick up some household necessities. As a bribe for my son to behave and let me do what I needed to do, I allowed him to go to the toy section of the store to browse and see if there is anything that he may like to get in the future (I didn't go there for toys so he has to wait to get a treat until a later date). At any rate... As he was browsing, I was casually glancing at all of the toys and noticing how different the toys of t

I didn't even want to write about this. But the more news alerts I get. The more I view my social media news feed. The more I think about the opportunities I want to give my own son. I just had this nagging feeling that wouldn't go away. So now, I'm just going to say something. If you don't know what I'm talking about, let me fill you in. Apparently, while black and brown people have endured ridicule and humiliation by way of their children being kicked out of school or

So, I'm on spring break catching up on my reading because let's face it, during the school year, I just don't have time to read for pleasure. Especially since I teach English. I spend the majority of the school year reading the things my students have to read so that I can be prepared to teach and reteach materials if necessary. So during my breaks, I get caught up on the things I want and need to do. I clean. I sleep. I read. I even send recommended readings to the ki

So... Last week was a whole mess. Like when I say it was a mess, I mean that. Let me give you some background so that you understand where I'm about to go with this. For the last quarter (9 weeks) we have been working toward writing research based arguments. Week 1- During this week we reviewed MLA format and documentation style. During this time they were able to practice using this form of documentation and they were given a flip-book as a reference because they would

The thing I love most about being an educator is when my former babies surprise me. Friday, I had this very thing happen. I got a call on my classroom phone that said that a visitor was there for me and if it would be ok if the person came to my room. I wasn't expecting anyone to come by so of course I was extremely nervous. But next thing I know I hear a familiar voice at the door and the voice hollers out, "Who it be? Candy B!" I almost fell jumping out my chair rushing

Parents. Teachers. Students. How would you rank them in importance when it comes to success in school. A friend of mine posed this question to me the other day. Although they each play a pivotal role in the education process, which would stand above the rest. My response to the question was as follows: Parents, Students, Teachers. Why did you rank them that way, Candous? I thought you'd never ask. 1. Parents Parents are the first teachers that a child will ever have. T

Last week was stressful. My son was sick. We had parent-teacher conferences. The principal called an emergency meeting with the senior class. I had an interview at a local news station to promote my book. My granddad called me fat. And I stepped in dog poop. Things were so exciting- can't you just hear the sarcasm? I spoke with one of my friends during the week and she said something that I just couldn't shake. "Do you ever feel that you are being made uncomfortable on

Teaching seniors is a blessing and a curse. On the one end, they are at the finish line and they only want to work so they can graduate. On the other hand, they think senior year is the end so they stop putting forth the effort needed to maintain their grades and GPAs. I never understood how they could work so hard to get to senior year and then just stop. I was handing out papers the other day and had a very candid outburst to and at my kids. I was disappointed that many

Every day my son comes home from school, I ask him about his day. And every day he gives me the same answer- “I hated it.” Each day I hope his response changes, but here we are, in the second semester of his fifth grade year and his answer is still faithfully, “I hated it.” so of course this makes me ask questions: What happened? Why did you hate it? Was the lesson hard? Which LAMPs class did you attend today? What was for lunch? Who did you play with at recess? Anything that

The first day back to work after an extended break is always hard. The anticipation of having to wake up at a certain time. The anxiety that comes with having to set all 12 alarms to ensure that you are on time. The stress of getting re-acclimated. Reviewing routines. Remembering names. Finding something to wear that doesn't consist of jammies and slippers. I wasn't ready. At. All. When my first alarm sounded, I almost cried. But had I hit that snooze button- I may no

Over the last several weeks, I have seen social media posts made by students that have really saddened me. These posts have expressed the regret and disallusionment they feel at attending their current school. These students have been told by others that they‘ve wasted their time and talents by staying at a particular school. And in a way- I agree. I love the school at which I teach. The students are amazingly talented. They’ve persevered through things that would have broke

Happy New Year, Beloved! I hope that 2019 bestows upon you peace for your mind, blessings for your soul, and love for your heart. I'm not typically a person who follows the crowd with the "New Year, New Me" posts and resolves. But I do have some things I want to accomplish within the 12 months of this new year. Now, that's not to say that I didn't accomplish much during 2018. I learned so much- did so much. My son and I traveled internationally for the first time. I was

Some people think that being an educator is the best job in the world. And it can be. We get to meet so many new people, travel for conventions (if you're chosen), and shape and influence the lives of future leaders. But we get tired. When I tell you ain't no tired like teacher tired, I mean that with every ounce of my being. I wake up in the middle of the night fretting over lessons I've taught, trying to figure out what I could have done differently, what I could have d

In my wildest dreams I never would have thought I'd become an educator. I'm not a morning person. I'm pretty introverted. I don't consider myself a "people person." Yet here I am celebrating my eleventh first day of school. Hundreds of students have touched my life and I can only hope that I have done the same. I look back over my journey in the classroom and wonder where would I be had I not become an educator. Would I have been a doctor like I had initially intended?