The Chalk Blog

With pajama pants and a sleep shirt on, you grab coffee and walk your unshowered self to your laptop. The cat follows you and sits on your feet. You’re scrolling through email, hitting “unsubscribe” at any chance you get (“Why does it take them so long to actually unsubscribe me?”) to create some sense of accomplishment (you have big plans later to finally watch Stranger Things Season 4). You scroll on, see some notices from the school district, and you stop. 

The hit new network TV show Abbott Elementary almost feels like a love note to educators. The mockumentary-style comedy, set in an underfunded fictional school in West Philadelphia, follows a group of dedicated teachers and a hilarious, self-absorbed principal. Creator, writer, and star Quinta Brunson’s mother was a teacher in Philadelphia, and teachers are on the show’s writing staff. This authentic perspective shines through in each episode, evoking the challenges and joys of the profession in a way that many teachers will find relatable. 

We like to take every opportunity to recognize and support the educators in our lives, and this school year, teachers definitely deserve extra appreciation! As 2021 comes to a close, you might be looking for ideas to thank a teacher in your life. Learners Edge is based in Minneapolis/St. Paul and we think you will enjoy a Made in Minnesota gift guide for educators, carefully curated by our Curriculum & Instruction team! 

We are excited any time we get a chance to highlight the accomplishments of a great teacher! Rachel Steil, a member of the Learners Edge Evaluator Team, is a Minnesota Teacher of the Year finalist!  Rachel is a High School English and Journalism teacher.  She has been a Course Evaluator for two years, and currently provides personalized feedback for students in 5018: Cultivating Mindfulness in the Classroom, 5850: PBIS 101, 5856: Project-Based Learning, and 5833: One Stop Shop.  Rachel is also an instructor in our Master’s/Post-Graduate Certificate program with Southern New Hampshire University.  We sat down with Rachel to learn a bit more about her teaching experiences and how Learners Edge contributes to her classroom practices. 

Interview with Travis Dresch

When we were kids, our minds were blown when we saw teachers outside of school. It was so out of context, but mysteriously cool: we saw them as humans, rather than just as their professional selves. 

To this end, the Learners Edge Chalk Blog interviews teachers in a regular segment called "Teacher Feature!" To hear more about the people behind the magic in the classroom, read on, and be inspired by these fantastic education superstars.

“Choose to be happy.” This is Travis Dresch’s teaching mantra. Travis is our featured teacher for August! Travis teaches high school chemistry and biology in the Cornwall-Lebanon School District in Pennsylvania. It’s apparent he enjoys science and teenagers which not everyone can say. 

I virtually “met” Travis when he signed up for one of our new courses: 5100: Train Your Brain, Change Your Life: The Practice of Happiness. His choice of courses sense given his mantra! (We thank Travis for his loyalty as this most recent course was only one of EIGHTEEN courses he has taken since 2015. Clearly Travis is also a life-long learner!)  

We asked Travis some serious, and not so serious, questions! Take a look.