by Ann Rankowitz For the past several years, districts have emphasized the importance of traditional-style learning for kindergarten students nationwide. Recently there has been an interest in moving back to a play-based model. This is an acknowledgment of the...
By: Ann Rankowitz It's that time of year when many of us struggle to keep our energy level up both physically and mentally. Captain Awesome, a seventh grade English teacher, offers some helpful tips on how you can stay positive in a toxic environment. As she points...
By:Jill Manly So, it's a great day. I just read two articles that are foundationally anchored in the importance of the teacher and their ability and their relatability. I recently spent a lovely Sunday afternoon with my dear friend and 30-year veteran TK and...
By: Carolyn Grabiel As Valentine's Day comes, and goes, what ideally precedes and follows it is an emphasis on what love is; romantic love to be sure but, more pervasively, the emotion that marks a wholeness of devotion to a person or, in the case of Josh...
By: Taite Pauley As a high school senior, I found myself in a new city, a new school, and living outside my parents' home for the first time in my life. As an independent 16-year-old, I thought I knew it all. In my beat-up light blue Datsun Maxima, I could navigate...
By: Jill Manly Experiencing our emotions can feel like a visit from an old friend or a shocking encounter with a stranger. When those familiar emotions come knocking on your door, you greet them like a friend and sink into a comfortable routine. When those difficult...
By: Carolyn Grabiel In order to fix a problem, we must first understand it—thoroughly, and from every angle. Though we, at JabuMind, want to be a positive light in the world of educators, we also realize that in order to offer a solution, we must be absolutely certain...
By: Carolyn Grabiel It's a delicate balance, the suggestion that our thoughts can affect pain and the suggestion that we are responsible for our pain. The first has been proven, the second has not. The first gives us hope, the second, guilt or anger or even...
By: Ann Rankowitz In this article, Quan Neloms, a counselor and social studies teacher in the Detroit Public Schools Community District, shares his discovery that despite his hard work and dedication, it takes a village to support children. Quan comes to the...
A Message from JabuMind Founder Jill Manly: Teachers' Tears The health of teachers and students reflects the health of a society. I stumbled upon this realization in 1985, a wide-eyed, newly college graduate, ready to take on the world. I set off on an adventure...
By: Ann Rankowitz In December, Kaiser Permanente announced a partnership with the nonprofit Alliance for a Healthier Education and Discovery Education. Kaiser Permanente's Resilience in School Environments (RISE Program) will bring on-site and virtual resources to...
By: Carolyn Grabiel Mrs. Minton (my mom called her "Earlene") looked me in the eye and said, "You'd better figure out how to take care of it now because life certainly doesn't get any easier." The statement, from my 4th-grade teacher, held a novel concept. Life gets...
