<![CDATA[Led By Learners]]>https://www.ledbylearners.comhttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!h5yW!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F75af4e17-67ff-4be4-b2ec-fd2920286992_768x768.pngLed By Learnershttps://www.ledbylearners.comSubstackSat, 01 Aug 2026 20:59:07 GMT<![CDATA[Progress!!]]>https://www.ledbylearners.com/p/progresshttps://www.ledbylearners.com/p/progressMon, 20 Apr 2026 01:29:04 GMTI’ve been busy this week like I’m sure you have been too…

-Monday annual state testing began. Went to my monthly Pampered Chef meeting, I decided to jump start my Pampered Chef business with online virtual parties (10 for April and 4 for May).
-Tuesday my cellphone was stolen from my desk by a student in my first period class - it was the first time in 25…

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]]><![CDATA[What did you learn at school today?]]>https://www.ledbylearners.com/p/bridging-the-gap-between-home-andhttps://www.ledbylearners.com/p/bridging-the-gap-between-home-andSat, 11 Apr 2026 14:33:04 GMTEver asked that question to your child before? Do you actually receive an answer each day? Our children who go to school out of the house are with strangers, “learning” for six or more hours each day. I quit asking this question to my children because I wouldn’t get an answer.

***Disclaimer*** This post may be hard to read and internalize for both teach…

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]]><![CDATA[Too much? Too little? or just right?]]>https://www.ledbylearners.com/p/too-much-too-little-or-just-righthttps://www.ledbylearners.com/p/too-much-too-little-or-just-rightThu, 09 Apr 2026 16:50:44 GMTThis week everything hit me.

I ate too much at Easter and paid for it the next two days with my body revolting.

Came back to work with an attitude of irritation, not gratitude with my students. Short tempered and every time they didn’t listen and I had to repeat myself or repeat what was written on the board I would lose my mind.

Talking with a friend afte…

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]]><![CDATA[Better Late than Never...]]>https://www.ledbylearners.com/p/better-late-than-neverhttps://www.ledbylearners.com/p/better-late-than-neverMon, 06 Apr 2026 03:26:34 GMTI started teaching middle school students again in November. Taking over mid-term is challenging even when you are a veteran teacher like me. My students had routines with the teacher they had before me, but what I wanted was different.

On my first day of teaching this group of students, I spent time letting them get to know me. After the slide show, I …

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]]><![CDATA[What the shift?]]>https://www.ledbylearners.com/p/what-the-shifthttps://www.ledbylearners.com/p/what-the-shiftSat, 04 Apr 2026 15:05:54 GMTI’m not going to get into the why or how of the Common Core State Standards, but I will say the idea of having a common thread of education across the k-12 system sounds like it could make sense to me as a teacher. Maybe this way the skills taught in third grade are mastered before fourth so we can teach the new. Maybe this could create clarity for teachers about expectations for teaching for collaboration.

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]]><![CDATA[Where I came from...]]>https://www.ledbylearners.com/p/where-i-came-fromhttps://www.ledbylearners.com/p/where-i-came-fromFri, 03 Apr 2026 17:59:16 GMTI started teaching in 1999. It was a time of thematic units, integrated multidisciplinary learning activities and using technology as a learning support, not just a typing class. My first teaching position was fourth grade at St. Stanislaus in Cleveland, Ohio. I was 22.

I was charged with teaching all subjects, except spelling, to my group of students an…

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]]><![CDATA[Why Is Learning a Secret?]]>https://www.ledbylearners.com/p/why-is-learning-a-secrethttps://www.ledbylearners.com/p/why-is-learning-a-secretMon, 30 Mar 2026 13:22:44 GMT

Photo by Nachristos on Unsplash

As teachers, we often hold the roadmap for learning in our hands. We know the standards, the goals, and the steps required to get there. But how often do we share that roadmap with our students?

Think about it: Do your students truly understand what success looks like? Or are they simply completing assignments, hoping they’…

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]]><![CDATA[Why a Gradeless Classroom Transforms Learning]]>https://www.ledbylearners.com/p/why-a-gradeless-classroom-transformshttps://www.ledbylearners.com/p/why-a-gradeless-classroom-transformsSat, 28 Mar 2026 15:10:39 GMTEarly in my teaching career, I encountered standards-based and proficiency grading systems that used rubrics alongside a minimum failing grade of 50%. When I saw a side-by-side comparison of the traditional A-F grading scale next to an equally weighted proficiency scale, the choice became clear: grading should reflect true learning, not just a percentag…

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]]><![CDATA[What COVID Teaching Taught Me]]>https://www.ledbylearners.com/p/what-covid-teaching-taught-mehttps://www.ledbylearners.com/p/what-covid-teaching-taught-meThu, 26 Mar 2026 14:09:45 GMTCOVID: Led by Families, Inspired by Learners

March 2020: Schools shut down, and education transformed in an instant. Chromebooks went home with students, and teaching became fully virtual. As an educator and parent, I quickly saw the challenges families faced in supporting their children’s learning. The gap between “school language” and home life was gro…

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]]><![CDATA[What Does a Gradeless Classroom Mean?]]>https://www.ledbylearners.com/p/what-does-a-gradeless-classroom-meanhttps://www.ledbylearners.com/p/what-does-a-gradeless-classroom-meanMon, 23 Mar 2026 15:08:18 GMTA gradeless classroom is a fascinating and innovative approach to education that shifts focus away from traditional letter grades (A-F) and percentages. Instead, it emphasizes learning, growth, and meaningful feedback. It’s designed to help children develop skills, curiosity, and independence rather than just chasing a number. Let’s explore what this me…

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]]><![CDATA[Parents, You Are Your Child’s Greatest Superhero!]]>https://www.ledbylearners.com/p/parents-you-are-your-childs-greatesthttps://www.ledbylearners.com/p/parents-you-are-your-childs-greatestSat, 21 Mar 2026 14:06:39 GMTAs parents, we want the best for our children and sometimes that means trusting others to guide their learning and growth. I remember walking my daughter Lex to kindergarten, feeling proud yet unknowingly handing over my authority to the teacher. I did the same with her brothers. In those moments, teachers became the new authority figures in my children…

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]]><![CDATA[Led by Learners: Reflections on Teaching, Learning, and Growing Together.]]>https://www.ledbylearners.com/p/led-by-learners-reflections-on-teachinghttps://www.ledbylearners.com/p/led-by-learners-reflections-on-teachingThu, 19 Mar 2026 14:30:36 GMTThe Day I Knew I Wanted to Teach

I was eight years old when I first realized I wanted to be a teacher. It was January 28, 1986—the day the Challenger Shuttle took off into the sky, carrying Christa McAuliffe, a teacher who inspired millions. I watched in awe, and then heartbreak, as the shuttle exploded. In that moment, I didn’t just see tragedy. I saw l…

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]]><![CDATA[Launching Led By Learners]]>https://www.ledbylearners.com/p/launching-led-by-learnershttps://www.ledbylearners.com/p/launching-led-by-learnersThu, 19 Mar 2026 00:06:27 GMTLed By Learners is inspired by the students, families and teachers I have worked with over the past 25 years. I want to share what I have learned to help others grow.

Subscribe to receive my messages 3 times a week: Make it Happen Mondays, Throwback Thursdays and SuperHero Saturdays.

]]><![CDATA[Coming soon]]>https://www.ledbylearners.com/p/coming-soonhttps://www.ledbylearners.com/p/coming-soonTue, 03 Mar 2026 05:19:30 GMTThis is Led By Learners.

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