I got the keys, keys, keys 🔑… to my 3rd grade desk! Students have been saving their classroom economy money all year for this moment! Bye bye desk rentals, helllooooo desk ownership! 🏡 @RISDmath#RISDDreamBig#PCEPlaceToBe
Creating equivalent fractions of a set with their favorite STEM toys was one of my favorite middle of the night lesson ideas yet! #3rdGrade#DreamBigRISD
Special parent visitor alert 🚨 An architect came to class today to discuss how math & science are used in the world of architecture. The kids loved connecting about floor plans & building design. #RISDdreambig#PCEplacetobe
We went on an array scavenger hunt around school! I even let them sneak into the teachers lounge 🙊🤫 They realized that multiplication is EVERYWHERE! #risddreamBIG#PCEplacetobe
Engineering challenge - using your knowledge of the physical properties of matter, combine classroom materials to create the tallest tower. No one was harmed in the building of these towers 😅#risddreambig#PCEplacetobe
When you get invited to party you have to say YES! Who could ever say no to a problem solving party! From the class ambassador to the part snacks to the math models, Ms. White's class was 🎉⭐️🎉!!!! #risddreambig 💙💙💙
When you get invited to party you have to say YES! Who could ever say no to a problem solving party! From the class ambassador to the part snacks to the math models, Ms. White's class was 🎉⭐️🎉!!!! #risddreambig 💙💙💙
I could sit in @HeyMsWhite’s math small group every day!! Every single minute was strategic, purposeful, and focused on student growth. I can’t wait to share this greatness with other @RISDmath teachers! #RISDDreamBig
We conducted an investigation, analyzed our findings, and asked a few follow up questions, including my favorite, “Why doesn’t our school start buying Bounty paper towels?” 🤣
After a few Stanley water bottle spills today, we wondered….which brand of paper towels is most absorbent - Bounty, Sparkle, or the school brand? #RISDDreamBig#PCEPlaceToBe
Team building day 2️⃣: similarity towers! Teams were challenged to build the tallest tower using index cards with similarities amongst the group! Turns out all 3rd graders like pizza, recess, and PCE 😍 #RISDDreamBig#PCEPlaceToBe
Self portrait of a 3rd grade mathematician - showing their thinking, trying multiple strategies, positive thinking when the going gets rough! #RISDDreamBig#PCEPlaceToBe
We LOVED meeting our panther families this afternoon & can’t wait for the first day on Tuesday! Thank you to our fantastic PTA for sweet treats afterwards #RISDDreamBig#PCEPlaceToBe
To Every Teacher About to Begin Again…
There’s something sacred about this time of year.
The world doesn’t pause for it—but we do. We tidy up rooms, rework bulletin boards, restock our desk drawers with things no one else even notices… all for the sake of what’s coming. And what’s coming isn’t just students—it’s opportunity. It’s impact. It’s legacy.
And whether you feel ready or not, you’re about to become part of someone’s story again.
It might not be obvious at first. The kid who won’t look up. The one who sighs every time you speak. The one who walks in carrying a world you’ll never fully understand. But here’s the truth: your consistency will matter more than your content. Your tone will matter more than your title. And your presence will matter more than your perfection ever could.
Every year, I remind teachers of this: You are not the system. You are the exception to it.
You’re the one who turns test-takers into risk-takers. Who sees the child before the checklist. Who shows up—even when it feels like no one notices you do.
And if this year feels heavy, don’t forget—some kids are walking through your doors needing one adult to believe in them. Just one. Not because you have all the answers, but because you looked them in the eye and said, “I see something in you.” And meant it.
That’s the kind of teaching that outlasts standards. The kind that can’t be measured… but will never be forgotten.
So as you step into a new year, remember this:
You don’t need to be perfect. Just present.
You don’t need a magic lesson. Just a moment that makes a kid feel seen.
You don’t need to save the world. Just reach the one in front of you.
Because that’s how the world changes anyway.
Thank you—for everything you give to children who aren’t even your own. The world doesn’t thank you nearly enough. But I see you. And I’m grateful.
Let’s go make it count.
—Brad