All Posts

I used to believe tighter control meant better classroom management. Hard deadlines. Late penalties. Rigid pacing. Everything locked down so nothing could slip through the cracks. It felt responsible. It felt professional. It felt like what good teaching was supposed to look like. It took me longer than I care to admit to learn this truth: Control isn’t the same as structure. And confusing the two is one of the fastest ways to burn out — both you and your students. The Contro

New Year 2026 The start of a new year usually comes with noise. New goals. New initiatives. New expectations to do more, fix more, change more. But for many educators, January doesn’t feel like a fresh start. It feels like a pause — a moment to ask what’s sustainable, what’s working, and what quietly isn’t. These conversations exist for that reason. Most educators don’t need more ideas right now. They need clarity. They need language for what they’re experiencing. They need

As I sit here on the last day of 2025, looking back at another year in public education, I'm thinking about all of you who made it possible. Not just the teachers and administrators who get recognized at board meetings. I'm thinking about every single person who showed up every single day to make sure kids had a place to learn, grow, and feel safe. This year, we almost made it look easy. But you and I both know better. Ms. Rodriguez at the front desk who answered 10,000 phone

It's 7:45 AM and Ms. Williams is already walking her third lap around the campus perimeter. She's checked all the gates, monitored the drop-off zone, and greeted about fifty students by name. When that eighth-grader tries to sneak out during third period, she'll be there. When the kindergartner falls on the playground, she'll have a band-aid ready. When the parent gets frustrated about pickup procedures, she'll de-escalate with patience and professionalism. She's not just sup

Mr. Shack has been serving lunch at Lincoln Elementary for twelve years. He knows that Aiden always wants extra cheese on his pizza, that Sofia is lactose intolerant, and that Marcus gets free lunch but doesn't want anyone to notice. He's not just serving food. He's serving dignity, one meal at a time. The people in hair nets and aprons are often the unsung heroes of our schools. They're nutritionists, counselors, budget managers, and miracle workers all rolled into one. They

It's 6:15 AM at Jefferson Middle School, and Mr. Thompson is already two hours into his workday. While most of us are still hitting the snooze button, he's checking the heating system, unlocking doors, and making sure every light bulb works. By the time the first teacher arrives at 7:30, he's already walked every hallway, fixed three broken desk legs, and set up the cafeteria for breakfast service. The magic of school doesn't start when the bell rings. It starts with the peop

I Almost Quit Public Education in May 2001 Three months into my first traditional public school job, I picked up the phone and called my former supervisor at the California Department of Corrections. I'd gone from being the go-to guy everyone knew to the neediest person on campus. From a 20-minute commute to an hour each way. From expertise to asking for help with my login. "Is my old position still available?" Without hesitation, he offered me my job back. Just like that—an

Creating Connection Without the Chaos Welcome to the final blog in our series on building strong family culture. Over the past two weeks,...

Rhythms That Actually Work Welcome back to our series on building strong family culture. Last week, we talked about getting your...

I was entering grades in my computer lab Friday afternoon when my principal stopped by. "Duke, can I ask you something? I've been...

I was in my computer lab Thursday after school, helping Ethan debug his Python code, when he said something that stopped me in my tracks....

Foundation Over Perfection Good morning, families. I'm sharing something with you today that I wish someone had told me forty years ago...

I got a text from Sarah, a second-year English teacher in another district, at 10:15 PM last Wednesday. "Duke, I feel like I'm failing my...

I was updating my website with assignment rubrics when I got a text from a former colleague who's now a principal in another district....

The Real Work of Raising Resilient Learners - Part 3 I remember the exact moment I knew we were losing Alex. He'd been one of my...

I had a parent text me at 11:47 PM last Sunday. "Mr. Marshall, I know Jacob is struggling in your computer science class. I don't...

This is Part 5 of "The Real Work" - a 5-part series born from the voices of educators who refuse to stay silent about what's really...

I'm updating lesson plans at my kitchen table at 9:30 PM on a Tuesday, switching between my computer science curriculum and business...

The Real Work of Raising Resilient Learners - Part 2 Jordan was the kind of student who could charm his way out of almost anything....

If you only take one thing away from Beyond The Lesson , let it be this: the real impact of your work isn't in the perfect lesson plan —...