“Do the best you can until you know better; then when you know better, do better.” —Maya Angelou

Hi! My name is Kristin Bond, and I chose to begin this page with a quote by the esteemed Maya Angelou because I believe it encapsulates life and education perfectly. These words bring to light the importance of being: (1) a life-long learner, (2) open-minded, and (3) vulnerable. All three of which are essential traits in a community of learning.

I believe that it is important that we have a clear understanding of who we are and what we represent before we can create authentic experiences that invite students to learn with alongside us. And Angelou’s quote is a great starting point to that reflective work.

Always be better | Questions over Answers | Reader/Writer | Researcher |True Crime Podcast Addict

I could write a bunch more words on this page that tell you all about who I (think I) am…and I will sort of do that (in point form) below. But I would rather show you who I am through the writing that I do on this website…by letting you know what I value, what I think we need to think about, and how we need to be better for students. Because at the end of the day this isn’t about me at all—this is about all of us.

So here is that point form list:

  • I taught abroad for 15 years (2005-2020) in China, Brunei, and the UAE.
  • I taught mostly high school English (with some other electives sprinkled in every so often).
  • I have both AP and IB teaching experience.
  • I have an addiction to Pro-D and take every opportunity to participate in an event.
  • I am a strong proponent of the workshop model benefits in an HS English class.
  • I am a strong proponent of giving students sustained reading and writer’s notebook time every day.
  • I believe that teaching is about increasing student agency, voice, and metacognition.
  • I believe that before any learning of skills and content can be accomplished, a connection and sense of community must first be established.
  • I value collaboration and the social construction of knowledge.
  • I value voice, choice, and agency.

The purpose of this blog is meant to be a source of knowledge (yes), sometimes entertainment (if you get my humour), but mostly a place of contemplation. This is not a static space—I would like it to inspire you and challenge you in thinking about teaching and learning on both a micro and macro level. I love thinking and talking about teaching and learning…I hope you will join me in this dialogue.

Sincerely,

Kristin Bond

Twitter: @readwritemore

Email: readwritemore@gmail.com

kristinbond-cvDownload