Tag: reflection

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Using Nature as a Classroom

My kids are on Fall Break, so today we decided to do a “fun” family hike to see some caves in a nearby canyon. The hike was difficult— 1.5 miles up a path with a 12% grade (and then back down the same path). It was a whopping 40 degrees and rained on us off and on. I was pleasantly surprised by how my kids handled it. I was expecting much weeping and wailing, but they did quite well. I also wasn’t expecting the hike to provide as many learning opportunities as it did, but was happy to find that it did.

We started at the visitor’s center to check in and explore for a few minutes. There were interactive boards and displays that showed various animals in the area, rock formations, information about caves, and preserved insects that (thankfully!) weren’t in the caves anymore. Even I learned a thing or two! It was the perfect way to start the hike, because my kids were able to see some of the things that they might get to see in real life as we hiked. They got excited about what was to come and they learned some new information— big win in my book!

Along the way up to the caves, there were several information boards and plaques on the side of the trail. They each contained information about what you could see from that particular point, what kind of rocks were by the part of the trail where we were, or even health check points to make sure you weren’t over doing it on the hike. One board had information about all the rock layers that were present where we were, and even included rock samples so that we could see what each layer looked like. It was so cool!

One stopping point had an interactive display about the types of birds that lived in the area. My kids were able to push buttons to hear what each species of bird sounded like. This was a great multi-sense activity, as they were able to see a picture of the bird, push a button, and hear what it would sound like. I always love a good multi-sense activity!

Once we finally made it to the cave entrance and made our way through the cave system, we were fed so much information about stalactites, stalagmites, helictites, calcite, and all sorts of other cave formations and structures. Our tour guide did a great job explaining things and letting my kids ask a ton of questions. It was fascinating for the kids and adults alike. I walked away having learned a lot of new information.

By the end of the few hours we spent there, I was exhausted! But as we drove away, I reflected back on our experience and was reminded that learning opportunities are all around us. We don’t have to be students in a classroom to learn new things. The world around us is teeming with information waiting to be discovered; all we have to do is open our eyes a little wider and be willing to explore a little bit!

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The Benefits of Boredom

If you grew up in the 80s and 90s like I did (or even in earlier decades), you know very well the reality of growing up mostly screen free. You know what it’s like to make your own fun. You remember times growing up when you were forced to come up with your own ideas, rather than relying on a little screen. Simply put, you know how to be bored– and how to be okay with it!

Today’s kids are becoming more and more intolerant of boredom. I can’t tell you the amount of times I hear my own children say, “I’m bored! Can I play a game on your phone?”, to which I always respond with, “Nope! It’s okay to be bored! Put your mind to work and think of something fun to do!” The majority of the time, they will complain about it and try to state their case again and again, but every now and then, if they will sit in their boredom long enough, it’s amazing what they can come up with! 

Classrooms are experiencing the same epidemic. Because of the mass amount of information they are being fed through screens and other devices on a daily basis, their brains just can’t seem to handle any amount of down time. It’s almost like a panic mode clicks on– they can’t even fathom not having anything to do or look at, and that seems to drive anxiety and stress. Students are afraid of quiet. They are afraid of letting their minds relax and think away from screens. 

Granted, boredom is a stark contrast to the go go go state that their developing brains are almost always in. Quiet, slow, imaginative thinking is becoming a foreign concept. Students are so used to information being fed to them at a rapid pace that they aren’t sure how to slow their brains down. It’s like rush hour traffic, when hundreds of drivers are trying to merge onto, navigate, and drive on the same road. It’s chaotic and sometimes messy. There is so much going on all at once that it’s hard to make any sense of it all. It’s easy to miss things that are happening. Compare that to a late evening freeway: the amount of traffic has decreased dramatically. Cars don’t have to fight for a spot on the highway. The chaos is minimized. The noise and messiness have almost disappeared. It becomes much easier to navigate the road and notice things that are happening.


Kids today can greatly benefit from being bored. Their minds will quiet down. They will learn to listen to their own minds and come up with their own ideas. Imaginations will soar. Anxiety will lessen. Boredom will become something that is okay, and hopefully at some point, something that is wanted because of the benefits that come from it. Boredom can be a powerful thing if we allow it to be.

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Connecting With Students

Female High School Tutor Sitting At Table With Pupils Teaching Maths Class

Teachers can have a powerful and lasting impact on their students. Think for a minute about a teacher you had that made a positive impact on you. What about that teacher makes them stand out? Maybe it was their personality, perhaps it was the thought provoking assignments they gave, or maybe it was that they noticed you and got to know you. The reasons can be numerous, and are often personal to each individual. 

When I think of my favorite teacher, I immediately think of a couple teachers I had. First, I think of Mrs. Shimmin, who was my second grade teacher. She made learning fun, was engaging, knew when to be silly, and made each student in her class feel loved and important. Another teacher I think of often is Mr. Downs, my AP English and Literature teacher my senior year of high school. His class was anything but easy; I remember many nights, working until the early morning hours to finish term projects, but he pushed his students and challenged them to do better. Through his class and instruction,  I learned a lot about what I was capable of. He knew us each individually and was kind. He was understanding when the demands of high school and life were too much. He loved all of his students, and we all knew it. The last teacher I think of is Dr. Smith, who taught several of my education courses in college. She made her classes fun and engaging, and made sure to get to know each of her students, which is often a rare thing in a college course. I’ve been graduated from college for 15+ years now, and I still keep in touch with her. She still encourages me to do my best and shares in my happy moments. 

As I look back on what I remember most about my favorite teachers, there seems to be a common theme: kindness and love. It didn’t matter the subject taught or the age or grade at which I was taught. What mattered most was how I felt while being taught by these individuals. These teachers encouraged me to be and do my best both in and out of the classroom. They truly cared about who I was as a person. I wasn’t just a number on their roster. 

Isn’t what what we all need? To feel loved and cared for, no matter where we are? Since we spend a good majority of our time in a classroom during our child and teen years (and often into our young adulthood), teachers who create positive impressions are so important. 

So how, then, does a teacher go about connecting with their students and working toward those kinds of positive impressions? 

One way is to create connections with each individual student. Get to know their names, what they are interested in, and what their family life is like. Know when their birthday is and acknowledge it when it comes. If they are in any kinds of sports, drama, music, or other programs at school, try to attend those events and support them. If you can’t make it to their school sponsored events, be sure to ask about how they went. Ask them about what they did over the weekend or holiday break. Remember when they have big (or small) things going on in their lives, and remember to ask about those things. Simply put, take some time to really get to know your students. It’s an investment worth making, and is an investment with a great return.  A little effort goes a long way!

Another way is to give meaningful feedback on their work. So often, students who are struggling are the ones who get the most attention when it comes to feedback on assignments. But in reality, every student loves to hear what they are doing well at, and would also greatly benefit from the teacher taking a little time to discuss what they can to do improve.

In addition, teachers can also find ways to incorporate their students’ interests into lessons and assignments. For instance, when asking my students to write a persuasive piece, I would always make sure to select topics that they would feel more passionate about. Seventh grade students won’t be very invested in writing about who to vote for in the upcoming gubernatorial election, but they certainly will be invested in writing about whether or not they should be allowed to bring their cell phones to class or who the best current musician is. Gearing lessons and activities toward student interests will engage them and will make an impression on their growing minds.

There are many ways for teachers to connect with their students, and often times, these will be personal to each teacher. But what matters most is that teachers are making an effort to connect, impact, and care for each student in their classroom. Because after all, don’t we all just need a little more love and care?

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A New Face

Were you ever the ‘new kid’ at school? You know the feeling— anxious, unfamiliar, and a little excited all at the same time. Growing up, my family moved around a little bit, and I had the chance to be the new kid a few times. It wasn’t always easy, but it definitely brought some growth and new opportunities. 

I’m feeling a bit like the new kid around here right now. A little anxious, a bit unfamiliar with things, but mostly very excited! My name is Logan Nielsen, and I will now be the one behind the posts on this blog. McKenzie has done an incredible job, and I have big shoes to fill, but I am up for the challenge!

So who is this ‘new kid’ anyway? I am a former junior high English teacher turned stay at home mom. I taught junior high for eight years in Utah, and spent one year as a paraeducator in a special education classroom at a middle school in Oakland, California. Over the course of my time teaching, I taught general education English courses to grades 7, 8, and 9, and also taught Creative Writing, Study Skills, and advanced level English courses for grades 7 and 8. Writing is one of my favorite things to do, and I am passionate about education. 

In my personal life, I am married to a hardworking husband, and am mom to five amazing kids, ages 8, 7, 5, 4, and 3. My oldest four are boys, and our little caboose is our only girl. My husband works as a vocational counselor, helping people with disabilities find work. My hobbies include reading, crafting/sewing/quilting, and spending as much time with my family as I can. I also enjoy creating and doing educational activities for my children. We value handwork, play, and learning at our house!

I am excited to be here. I hope I can continue to publish informative quality posts that you’ve become accustomed to reading here. Thanks for being here and coming along for the ride!

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School Test Scores Won’t Tell You the Important Things

We moved to a new area about a year ago. We relocated to a rural farming community of about 2,700 people. For the sake of this blog post, let’s call the town Smallville. In this community, there is one elementary school, one middle school, and one high school, and that encompasses the entire school district. 

During our period of searching for homes, I also spent time researching schools in each town and area that we were considering moving to. Of all the cities we possibly could have chosen, Smallville was last on my list because the school rankings for the district were… well… not great. In fact, they were some of the lowest. 

But lo and behold, we ended up in Smallville. With my oldest starting kindergarten just three months after moving there, I was in constant worry about what we should do for school. Should we keep her at Smallville Elementary or drive her to one of the surrounding town’s schools each day? Every passing day throughout the summer it was constantly on my mind. 

We ultimately decided to keep her at Smallville Elementary at least for her first year of school, see how the year would go, and then move her to a new school for first grade if needed. 

After her first full year of school, I was absolutely humbled. Sure, the school rankings on the Idaho State Department of Education website weren’t favorable for Smallville by any means. But do you know what the website doesn’t tell you? 

It doesn’t tell you about the principal that is outside each and every morning and afternoon, no matter the weather, helping the teachers manage school drop-off and pick-up lines. 

It doesn’t tell you about the kindergarten teachers and how every single one of them loves their students something fierce and will do anything to help the students succeed. 

It doesn’t tell you about the first-grade teachers organizing a fundraiser all on their own to help raise money for a field trip. 

The website doesn’t ever mention the school janitor that helps your daughter clean up her spilled lunch box off the floor of the cafeteria and then comforts her when she is in tears from embarrassment. 

There aren’t stats for what a community bonding experience it is to attend a high school basketball game and have everyone come together for the evening, catch up, and rally together to cheer our athletes on to victory. 

Never once did the website mentions how the superintendent, principal, and teacher would bend over backward when you make the difficult decision to pull your child from school temporarily and give distance learning a try. 

It doesn’t tell you about the text your child’s teacher will send you in the middle of the school day, “I noticed your child was struggling with a specific math skill, I sent home some classroom manipulatives she can work with this week to help her.” – Classroom manipulatives that the teacher surely purchased herself. 

It doesn’t tell you the important parts of the school. 

The website can show statistics of test scores all day long, but what it can never show you is what an incredible community you gain in any one specific school, or in our case, one specific school district. 

Going to school is based on academics, but that’s not our only goal at the end of their 12+ years in those hallways and classrooms. The goal is to raise good humans that know how to problem solve, interact with others, be a friend, have empathy, and more. 

I’m grateful for our little Smallville school district and I’m even more grateful that we didn’t try to send our child away from such a community-driven school, regardless of what the test scores said. 

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Dear Students,

You’re walking through my doors for the start of the school year soon. You’re not the same kid you were a few months ago when you left for summer break. You’re bigger, stronger, and smarter. 

I know you may feel so small and not ready to be in this classroom, but let me tell you- you are needed here. You have a place, a desk, a seat in here. And you are more than ready to start this school year in this classroom. 

This year you’ll make new friends, meet new teachers, and explore the walls of not only our classroom but our school. You are here to make your mark and take up space, and I cannot wait to see how your school year unfolds! 

I am excited to meet you and get to know you and your heart. I cannot wait to learn more about you, what your favorites are, and how your mind learns. 

This school year we’ll not only build a classroom, but we’ll also build a family. And you are an important part of our classroom family. 

I can’t wait to see you. 

Sincerely, 

Your Teacher ❤️

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New Logo, Who Dis?

The time has come to unveil the new branding for our scholarship! As I stepped into the role of scholarship chair and content writer, I began noticing some variations in the way that those who came before me referred to the scholarship. The original name for our scholarship was the Design A Better Future scholarship (which I’m assuming came from the fact that the projects needs to be based on the design thinking cycle). But as the years went on, it also started being referred to as the Build A Better future scholarship and both titles started being used interchangeably.

In order to *hopefully* limit future confusion, I decided to update the scholarship logo and declare one title to be the official title from now on. The HGU scholarship will henceforth be known as the Build A Better Future scholarship. I felt as though using the verb “design” was too passive and wasn’t giving our applicants enough credit. Yes, they are using the design thinking cycle but they are also going above and beyond to bring their designs to life.

design a better future scholarship high school seniors

In addition to updating the logo and title, the website has been updated with all the information needed for our 2023 scholarship! I look forward to seeing how the next group of applicants works on building a better future for their communities. If you or anyone you know is a high school senior that will be graduating in 2023, you can find more information regarding the scholarship here and here. Please email scholarship@honorsgraduation.com with any questions. Good luck!