‘Curiouser and Curiouser!’ She was so much surprised, that for the moment she quite forgot how to speak good English.
Lewis Carroll
What if…
Lots of great things happen when we start something with ‘What if.‘ The question “What if?” inspires me to be curious.
The name of my blog Rachel, what if…? came about as a result of a lesson I was teaching my fourth graders about recognizing themselves as writers that you can read about here. When we come to know ourselves as curious, creative beings, we can’t help but share our excitement with others. Excitement can become contagious.
“The most interesting situations can usually be expressed as a What If question.”
Stephen King
What if we we are all writers?
We all have lives filled with stories that inspire, make us laugh, or connect us.
I always carry a story with me. In my arms. In my phone. In my head. Sometimes these things get published, most of the time they don’t.
Writing is communicating. We are all communicators. Reading and Writing is for everyone. Our stories have purpose and I believe it is our responsibility to share them. It is through reading the writing of others that we can see the ourselves, as people, and as participants in this life thing.
What is educational consulting?
As a teacher, I know the value of having lots of resources, and also the overwhelm of choosing the right ones.
I hope you will find some of the things I share here useful in your home or classroom. These are things I have used myself, and have loved, but more importantly, my students have loved.
Using mentor texts to teach is my specialty. In my experience, almost any lesson can be matched to a book, usually a picture book. Picture books are for everyone. I have yet to read a picture book to myself, or aloud to someone else, where at least one connection isn’t made. It is in connection that new learning is formed, where creativity lives, and inspiration is born.
Being in classrooms is one of my favorite things. The best learning happens with collaboration, feedback, and a whole bunch of fun. My philosophies for best practices include the use of thinking strategies and positive behavior interventions and supports.
My Tried and True Resources page holds all my favorite podcasts, authors, children’s books, and more.
What if we think BIG?
my classroom mascot
My Bigfoot collection came about as an idea I had to have a class mascot. Over the years, Bigfoot has become my sidekick. He, or she, has come to represent possibility, mystery, and fun! You can read about how all of this started here.
The footprint you see in my logo represents the impact we are making in our own worlds, and symbolizes evidence of someone or something having been here, leaving a path for us follow. Footprints make me curious, especially if they are BIG foot prints!
If you are interested in working with me, please reach out at rachelwhatif@gmail.com, and don’t forget follow my social media pages!