Why now?

In short—because I was ready to quit.

I had just opened yet another email asking me to fill out yet another form for yet another student. At the same time, I was dealing with a student who had been absent for over two weeks—on vacation—during a normal school week!!! And he wasn't the only one! How was I supposed to catch him up while juggling everything else? How can I possibly keep up with all the daily responsibilities of teaching? Juggling everything—taking care of this student, that student, filling out all the required forms, attending meetings, grading assignments, responding to emails, and somehow still designing meaningful lessons and activities that actually engage students?

It feels like more and more is being piled onto a teacher’s shoulders every day. Yet we’re not getting paid more. We’re not getting more time. So how are we supposed to do it all and not lose our minds?

Whatever the solution was, I didn’t have it. And I was losing mine.

I was at my breaking point. I was literally Googling “what can I do besides teach with my teaching degree?"

Then, right around that time, I attended a professional development session hosted by New York State’s Master Teacher Program. It was a dinner with professionals from various fields discussing the role of AI in their industries—and in education.

I was inspired. I was excited.

The next day, I jumped onto ChatGPT and started ChatGPTing - and I haven't quit since. No, I’m not a ChatGPT expert. But I am a learner. I am a problem solver and I am creative. And within just a few short months, I figured out how to use AI to make my teaching life more manageable, more streamlined, and honestly—more fun. And everyday, I figure out more.

I won’t lie—this hasn’t reduced my workload. In some ways, I’m working harder and longer than ever. But the difference? I’m excited again. I see a light at the end of the tunnel. I’ve found ways to streamline the non-teaching parts of teaching so I can spend more time on what I love—actually teaching.

That’s why I’m here. That’s why I started this blog.

I want to share new strategies that make life easier for teachers. I want to share the creative lessons and resources I love making. I want to help teachers who feel overwhelmed, burnt out, or like they've lost their way rediscover their passion, reignite their excitement, and find joy in teaching again. I feel like it's a new day, and I'm ready to get going. Won't you join me?