Leadership · Curriculum · STEM
December 31, 2019
It was the Saturday afternoon after Thanksgiving of 1995, in that forsaken 2:00-4:00pm window, the time when no one wants to be in the gym working. Not the coach. Not the janitor. And definitely not the growing sophomores of the Kankakee Valley High School Junior Varsity Basketball Team. Hmm… No Read more…
Oh my… I can’t believe how much has changed. Over the last five years, I’ve celebrated several successes and peaks. We got married, bought a house and a minivan, and had one child (so far). I started grad school (MSA), transitioned from a fifth grade teacher to a STEM Specialist, Read more…
I love blogging. It’s here–in my #HamstraHighlights reflections–where my most meaningful learning happens. There are so many reasons why I blog, and it’s by far the best professional learning I’ve ever had. To those who encouraged me to start my own professional portfolio, THANK YOU. Although each post is the culmination of Read more…
November 21, 2019
At a recent conference, I was lucky to be surrounded by the best in the business. We were talking about how much the education landscape has changed over the years and where we are now, given our accessibility, connectivity, and collaborative potential. Eventually, our conversation centered around one, heartfelt question: Read more…
November 15, 2019
Relationships are everything. They’re so valuable and important. Precious. And at the same time, even the most cherished, heartfelt, well-intended relationships can be challenging. Still, the relationships with people who mean a lot to you are the ones worth sustaining. Somehow, life gets complex. Perhaps, it was in our elementary Read more…
October 27, 2019
I absolutely love professional learning experiences. I love connecting with people. First, there’s the hype of the event itself. Then, there’s the anticipation of attending a quality session. Finally, it’s really happening, and I’m reflecting through live tweets to collect in Wakelet, Google Keep, and future blogs. And then we Read more…
October 5, 2019
This is important. Do it today. Right now… To those who matter to you–tell them. Don't let another day go by without saying:I love you.I appreciate you.I'm happy that you're in my life.TY for being there for me.You help me #becomebetter.I can't wait to see you again.#fitleaders #fitat40 #keepburning #healthywake Read more…
October 3, 2019
There’s a lot going on here… What are your takeaways? As a parent, I can't wait for our baby to start talking. As an educator, I'm really thinking through this quote at the 0:55 mark: https://t.co/0svd7hiaqo — Kyle Hamstra (@KyleHamstra) October 1, 2019
September 30, 2019
Video is powerful. I believe in video. I’ve posted about video, here: Best Advice Ever–Part I (record videos of your kids) Some Assembly Required (video directions over printed directions) Playback, Reflect, Grow (seeing yourself teaching in video) #GridPlans: Flipgrid Your Sub Plans (using video for sub plans) And now—Another video Read more…
September 23, 2019
I’m reflecting on some great conversations with classmates, colleagues, and friends today. After many AHA moments, hypotheses, and healthy debates, I’ve finally come to a place of peace… And bold prediction: The digital portfolio will replace traditional teacher evaluation tools. Soon. But it’s way more than just replacing a tool. This Read more…
September 14, 2019
Experiencing life through the lens of a parent has really convicted, challenged, and rerouted me as an educator. Striving to address the needs of the whole child is so different to me now than in my previous 17 years of teaching. I marvel at how my mindset has shifted in Read more…
September 6, 2019
I turn 40 this year. And that has me thinking. Again. Have I fulfilled my purpose by this stage in life? What really matters? What’s meaningful? What have I gained? In a deathbed moment, what would I regret in my heart of hearts? Approaching the new year, a friend of mine declared Read more…
August 19, 2019
As I entered the building to hand over the most precious thing in my life to nearly complete strangers, a part of me died. I know change is hard, but I just don’t know how to describe transitions like these. This one was especially difficult, I think, because it was Read more…
August 16, 2019
I’m so torn up about this, I can barely express myself. Whether a parent yourself–or not–I think every educator can benefit from these thoughts. Next week, our 21-month-old son goes to child care for the first time. Alone. Without mommy, daddy, or grandparents by his side. Completely. Alone. My feelings Read more…
August 5, 2019
Hey, Friends! Not sure about you, but I’ve seen a ton of twitter-shaming lately. What’s going on? I’m taking a moment to pause, reflect, and seek your feedback. This isn’t about the President, politics, or celebrities. This isn’t the space for the gossip train or the petty stuff. This isn’t Read more…
July 19, 2019
Hey, Friends! Like millions of educators and organizational leadership enthusiasts around the world, I’ve been reading and rereading Brene Brown‘s book: dare to lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts. For those who’ve read it, I’m on number 14 in The Armory. Again. For those who haven’t read it, I’m on Read more…
July 11, 2019
While attending my district’s WCPSSITLMS Convergence Learning Symposium three years ago, I was listening to George Couros present reasons why educators should build their own digital portfolio. Online features would include a professional profile as an about.me page, sharing resources through social media, and reflecting on our experiences through blogging. Read more…
July 7, 2019
I don’t know it all. And I think most people would agree that they don’t, either. But here’s the super scary thing. There’s more! As a classroom teacher, there were so many things I didn’t know… that I didn’t know. Nothing has made me more aware of this simple truth Read more…
June 10, 2019
I love presenting. I’m always fascinated by the different kinds of presentation formats available nowadays. The infrastructure of the presentation may be even more important than the message itself. It’s true. And knowing your space, setup, and schedule of activities will directly impact how effective you are in communicating your Read more…
June 9, 2019
Social Emotional Learning is a big deal in schools and life today. Our kids are persevering through challenges unprecedented. Navigating human interaction as adults is no easy feat either, it seems. Therefore, it’s not hard to imagine why there might be so many pedestal problems–even amidst total clarity, context, and Read more…
June 7, 2019
Ahhh… The Field Trip. One of the best learning opportunities of all time. Nothing beats the real thing. Nothing beats being there. Nothing beats learning by doing… the real thing. As far as teaching and learning go, it doesn’t get any better than this. But even when packed with all Read more…
June 3, 2019
Dear Friends, it’s with a very heavy heart that I share this with you tonight. I’m not doing very well at all. In fact, I’m really failing, here. Of the many things I deeply ponder, this battle is getting the best of me. I’ve been doing a lot of deep Read more…
May 29, 2019
As a younger, fifth grade science teacher (not too long ago), I made a lot of mistakes that I wish I could go back and redo. When speaking to a parent about our North Carolina fifth grade weather standards recently, some of these past mistakes came back to me. Mistake Read more…
In my last post: 3 Takeaways from My District Presentation, I expressed my passion–and the need–for learning by doing: “The reason why learning by doing is so powerful is because when learners do something or create something, they actively live the experience. Their brains archive the message, recall key words and ideas, Read more…
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