Helping Students (and Teachers!) Understand the Red Zone and How to Handle Big Anger Hey friend, Have you ever felt so angry that it...

Helping Students (and Teachers!) Understand the Yellow Zone and How to Stay in Control Hey friend! Have you ever felt all wiggly inside?...

By: Mikaela Ostrander Not all challenging behaviors come from anger or defiance. Sometimes, they come from deep discomfort, traum or a...

By: Mikaela Ostrander Every student brings a unique energy and way of seeing the world — and sometimes, that energy can feel overwhelming...

By Mikaela Ostrander Hey there, and welcome to Stories by a Teacher . This is where I’ll be sharing real-life moments from the classroom...

By: Mikaela Ostrander I want to share a story that’s stuck with me — because it reveals so much about what’s really going on behind some...

A Fly on the Wall Book Seven: The Day Didn't Go My Way I flew through the hallway, high over a line,When I noticed one kid who was not...

By: Mikaela Ostrander Let’s start with a hard truth: Dyslexia is not rare. It’s just rarely identified. Roughly 1 in 5 children  have...

If we now know  what works in teaching reading, why are so many kids still struggling? To answer that, we have to look back. A History of...

A Fly on the Wall Book Six: When Anger Tags Along I zipped through the window, the morning still new,Kids walked in with backpacks and...

Do You Think Kids’ Behavior Is Justified Because of the System? No. I think it’s understood  because of the system — and redirected  with...

By Mikaela Ostrander If there’s one thing I could shout from the rooftops to every educator, policymaker, and parent, it’s this: literacy...

A Fly on the Wall Book Five: The Guide, Not the Boss I hovered near math class, right over a map,When I heard a loud grumble — a stomp...

In our last post, we explored how the traditional education system is designed for just a fraction of students — those who are...

A Fly on the Wall Book Four: The Power of Letting Go I zipped past a pencil, then looped ‘round a chair,When I spotted a scowl and a...

A Fly on the Wall Book Two: The Connection Game I buzzed into class, a place full of cheer,Where friends sit together, and voices are...

A Fly on the Wall Book Three: The Fear of Missing Out I fluttered by Friday, just after noon,The sun in the sky, kids humming a...

by Mikaela Ostrander Hi there — I’m Mikaela Ostrander. I’m a special education teacher and speech-language pathology assistant with a...