As some of you know, I use my first two weeks of classes to schedule face-to-face meetings with individual students in my classes so that I can get to know them better. This is one of my top strategies for increasing participation in class, and it really works. But this week I had a first time thing happen–I was the one who with tears in my eyes as I talked with a student. I have a student who I’ll call Jonathan who has a stuttering disability that makes it hard for him to speak–especially now, through a mask. In spite of this, he contributes to class discussion without fear or anxiety, and he has incredibly insightful things to say, to boot. In our meeting I was thanking him for participating, because I imagine it would be easier for him to stay quiet. So I had tears in my eyes as I told him how he will never know how encouraging this will be to other students. If he can speak up, why can’t they? Jonathan has so much emotional and spiritual maturity, and he is simply a delightful human being. I told him that I have a son on the autism spectrum, and that he could not possibly know how much he made my week just from participating in class. I’m sharing this story because this is why we do this called teaching. Not just for them, but for us. And we get to stand by and watch people overcome obstacles to be the best version of themselves that they can be. What is better than that????

There’s still time to take The Flourishing Teacher Fall Retreat! Don’t miss it. Email me for a discount code. Free for adjunct faculty, because you are the underpaid workhorses of our industry. Thank you.

Queen Anne's Lace

It’s back….the month that shall not be named!

Well friends, the Queen Anne’s Lace is out and the month has arrived: fall classes are on the way! What are you doing to get ready for for the year ahead? Hopefully not a lot of syllabus work. What I mean is, what are you doing to get ready for it spiritually? I’m headed to

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YOU. MUST. REST.

Hello fellow educators! Sooooooo, I happen to know for a fact that some of you just turned in your fall semester grades. And that you feel guilty about it because you missed the deadline. And that you are exhausted to the core. And that you are already thinking about next semester. STOP. RIGHT. NOW. It

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Fall 2022 Retreat and MasterClass is up and ready to go!

Do you need a little extra encouragement to remember why you do this crazy job? Or just some tried and true methods for building classroom community or handling email? Then enroll today! Want a discount code? Please send me an email at christinabieberlake (at) gmail (dot) com and I’ll give you 50% off if you

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