Tag Archives: Writing

June 11, 2026 · 4:07 PM

Charisms, Core Beliefs, and the Joy of the Work…our “Why”

I was so INSPIRED by my conversation this morning with Dr. Barbara Edmondson. I have known Barbara for almost a decade, and every time I leave her presence, I feel encouraged, reflective, and inspired.

In our conversation, Barbara spoke about the importance of educational leaders knowing their charisms and core beliefs. I could not agree more. When we understand the gifts we have been given and the beliefs that ground us, we are better able to serve with clarity, purpose, and joy.

For many educators and school leaders, the next 9 to 12 weeks offer a beautiful opportunity to pause, exhale, and reflect on the “why” behind our service. Why did we choose this work? What gifts have we been called to share? What core beliefs continue to guide us when the days are long and the work feels heavy? Where did we see joy this year? Where did we help create it for someone else?

These are not small questions, but they are the questions that help us return to purpose.

Joy is not meant to be held alone. Joy is synergistic! When joy is shared among a school team, it strengthens culture, builds connection, and reminds us that the work we do matters. Recent research on teacher teams affirms that creating and sustaining a positive school climate requires ongoing collaborative work and that teachers experience their teams as important support structures connected to shared responsibility, safety, openness, and school climate work (Hammar Chiriac et al., 2024). A joyful school community does not mean a perfect school community. It means a community where people are willing to see the good, name the good, and carry the good forward together.

As we close one school year and begin looking toward the next, perhaps this is an invitation to pause and reflect:

*What are the charisms I bring to this work?

*What core beliefs guide the way I serve?

*Where have I seen goodness unfold this year?

*Who helped me remember the joy of the work?

*Who needs to hear a simple and sincere “thank you”?

To every educator, school leader, staff member, parent, and community partner who continues to serve others: thank you!

Thank you for the seen and unseen ways you show up. Thank you for the encouragement you offer, the patience you practice, the hope you carry, and the light you bring into your school communities.

The work you do matters, and when we train our eyes to see the good, amazing things happen.

Thankful Thursday Minute

 

May we continue to seek knowledge in all things,

Denise

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June 3, 2026 · 4:19 PM

When We Train Our Eyes to See the Good, Amazing Things Happen…An End-of-the-School-Year Message from Dr. Christina Mendez-Hall

Last night, I officially posted the welcome message for my new YouTube channel, Sharing the Good with Dr. Denise Ball. This morning, as I met with Dr. Christina Mendez-Hall, Assistant Superintendent for the Diocese of Arlington, I was reminded again why this space matters. Dr. Mendez-Hall is so full of joy, and I invited her to share an end-of-the-school-year inspirational message for the channel. It was one of those simple, grace-filled moments that confirmed the “why” behind this new chapter.

For the last eight-plus years, I have been researching, writing, speaking, and working alongside school leaders and educators on team building, teacher retention, and the development of strong, healthy school cultures. Again and again, one simple truth continues to rise to the surface: educators and school leaders need to be seen, heard, encouraged, and reminded that their work matters.

When adults in a school community feel valued, supported, and connected to a shared mission, the entire campus is strengthened. Joy becomes more visible, trust grows, collaboration deepens, and students benefit. Schools become more stable, dynamic, and hope-filled places of learning.

That is the heart behind Sharing the Good with Dr. Denise Ball.

My goal is not to create a perfect YouTube channel. It is not to chase likes or pretend that life, leadership, education, or faith are without challenges. My hope is to create a real and authentic space where we collectively can share the good, notice the good, and perhaps inspire at least one person who needs encouragement on any given day.

I have been blessed throughout my life to be surrounded by amazing people who have encouraged me, challenged me, prayed for me, and helped me see the good even in difficult seasons. After retiring last June, following 27 years of service in education, I have found myself with more time to reflect, write, listen, and reconnect with many of you who have followed this blog since it was created 15 years ago.

The Unlock the Teacher blog has received more than 1.5 million views over the years and continues to average around 100 views a day. The feedback received on this blog humbles me deeply — thank you! Current research highlights the need for us to truly see and hear one another, and I would like to help make sure those placed on my path during this journey of life feel seen and heard.

So today, I want to personally invite you to continue the conversation with me in a new way.

Please visit Sharing the Good with Dr. Denise Ball on YouTube. Subscribe if the message speaks to you. Share it with an educator, leader, parent, or friend who may need a reminder that goodness is still unfolding.

Check out Christina’s inspirational minute message by clicking the link below. This is my first YouTube “short”…thank you for the grace!

An End-of-the-School-Year Inspirational Message from Dr. Christina Mendez-Hall

I am a novice in this space, and I am very much a lifelong learner. If you have a tip, suggestion, idea, or story to share, I would love to hear from you. Send me a message and share the good you are seeing. Tell me about the people who are carrying light in your school, family, parish, workplace, or community.

I believe this deeply, that when we train our eyes to see the good, amazing things happen.

We can do more for the world when we share the good together, one word, one story, and one action at a time.

May we continue to seek knowledge in all things!

Denise

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May 12, 2026 · 3:07 PM

What We Build Together: The Power of Collaboration–A Middle School Mindset Initiative

There is a particular kind of energy that comes from meaningful collaboration. The kind that is grounded in shared mission, fueled by trust, and sustained by a deep belief in the work we are called to do.

Over the past year, I have had the privilege of working alongside incredible partners to bring the Middle School Mindset Portfolio of Services to life. What began as an idea has grown into something far more powerful than any one organization could have accomplished alone. In just a few short weeks, we will launch this work nationally on May 29.

This moment feels significant, not simply because of the launch itself, but because of what it represents.

A Response to a Critical Moment

Middle school is a pivotal season of formation. It is a time when students are asking deeper questions about identity, belonging, and purpose. It is also a time when educators are navigating increasing complexity like academic recovery, student engagement, and social-emotional needs, all while striving to create classrooms where students feel known and valued.

We cannot meet this moment in isolation.

The Middle School Mindset Portfolio was built in response to that reality. It is not a single program or a one-size-fits-all solution. Rather, it is a collaborative ecosystem designed to support educators with practical strategies, meaningful resources, and a shared commitment to strengthening both instruction and culture.

The Gift of Partnership

One of the greatest joys in this work has been collaborating with mission-aligned partners who bring both expertise and heart to the table.

A special acknowledgment goes to Archangel Education and Technology, whose team is building an innovative digital ecosystem that will no doubt become a destination space for educators and system leaders. Their work reminds us that when technology is designed with purpose, it can truly amplify impact.

Equally inspiring has been our partnership with the Archdiocese of Miami pilot schools. On May 29th, during this complimentary webinar, we will hear directly from middle school teachers who have engaged in this work, educators who are thoughtfully applying strategies, reflecting on practice, and shaping what this portfolio will become at scale.

To visit these vendor partners supporting schools nationwide, please visit:

www.theadac.com | https://friendzy.co/ | https://www.sadlier.com/ | https://arch-te.com/

We can serve students and teachers more when we do it together!

From Research to Practice: Naming What Matters Most

This work has also deepened my ongoing collaboration with Dr. LaTonya White. Together, we are preparing to share our research in the forthcoming Middle School Culture Blueprint (Ball & White, 2026).

At the center of our work is a simple yet deeply impactful reminder: what we reinforce each day becomes the culture we experience, whether by intention or by default.

Middle school culture does not happen by accident. It is shaped in the small, consistent moments: in how we greet students, how we structure learning, how we respond to challenges, and how we create space for student voice. Belonging is not a program we implement. It is a condition we intentionally cultivate through every interaction, every structure, and every expectation (Ball & White, 2026).

When we are intentional, we create environments where students and teachers can thrive. When we are not, culture is still formed, but often in ways that do not serve our mission. The opportunity before us is to lead with clarity, purpose, and hope, and to build cultures where every student and educator knows they are seen, valued, and called to grow.

A Moment of Anticipation

As we look ahead to our national webinar launch on May 29, I am filled with gratitude for the partnerships, for the educators, and for the shared commitment to this work. This is more than a program launch. It is a reflection of what is possible when we come together, listen deeply, and build something that responds to the real needs of our schools. It is a reminder that we are not alone in this work. And… it is an invitation to continue to collaborate, to continue to learn, and to continue to see the good that is unfolding all around us.

The May 29th registration is live (scan the QR code above). Come and join the conversation!

What a privilege it is to serve!

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January 2, 2012 · 12:08 PM

Great Writing Website Resources for Writers Young and Old for 2012

The Key to Unlocking your Writing Potential...Dare to Dream~BIG!

Happy New Year! 2012 is sure to be a fabulous year chuck full of amazing new discoveries. If you are thinking of writing, like to write or have a child or classroom of students who like to write, here are some sites we recommend that provide advice on writing, pay for writing and stand as a good educational resource for writers young and old.

If you have a site that you like or follow an agent who is super fabulous and blogs about writing, please share.  It is in this collaboration and sharing of knowledge that we all grow and learn.

May we continue to seek knowledge in all things,

Denise

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December 18, 2011 · 1:16 PM

Teen Ink…a Wonderful Resource Site for Parents, Students and Teachers

I wanted to share a great resource site to get your child/student excited about writing. This site is a wonderful teen site, where all the articles are written by teenagers.  I encourage you to check it out and let us know your thoughts.  We need to speak their language (perhaps not agree with it) bu t try to understand it, if we hope to take them to new heights in the classroom. TEENInk~ A wonderful magazine for teens written by teens.

TEENInk

Books, Magazine and  Website Designed for Teens

by Teens since 1989

  • Teen INK  is a site where young writers can write and submit poetry, fiction and non-fiction to be critiqued and reviewed by other teens
  • Teen INK pays teens for articles written by teens for teens and host various writing contest throughout the year
  • Read current news articles from Around the World, written by teens
  • A plethora  of writing samples to read, get ideas from and increase your lexicon

May we continue to seek knowledge in all things,

Denise

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June 11, 2011 · 11:55 AM

We Have Found an Amazing 7 Year-Old Writer and Her Mom Writes Too…Check out Her Blog

In one of our Writing Workshops in May, I was thrilled to spend time with Amy Foret.  She is a young mom who is a wife and a mother of two. Her articulate and well-read daughter is 7 and she has an amazing son who is 5.

Her daughter started reading when she was only 3 1/2, and has been writing stories since she started kindergarten. Now she is in second grade. She reads about a book a night, and writes at least one short story a week.

Please check out and welcome these new writers to WordPress and the writing arena.

For all of our readers who love to get great ideas on books to utilize in classroom or read to your child, we highly recommend Amy’s blog MY Garden Patch of Books.

Please check it our and share your thoughts here on your great reading finds 🙂

I am on my way to VA to meet with Trisha and conduct some Unlock the Teacher LLC “How to ePublish” Workshops…

Stay tuned as the next Katie’s Adventure eBook is almost ready to hit Barnes and Noble.com.  The OLQM first graders who wrote and illustrated the book did an amazing job!

You learn something every day if you pay attention.  ~Ray LeBlond

May we seek knowledge in all things,

Denise

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February 8, 2011 · 12:20 AM

Reading/Literacy Grant Sources Part II…Our Recommendation=Have a Grant Writing Party Once a Month

  1. A.     Target

Early Childhood Reading Grants

Reading is essential to a child’s learning process. That’s why Target awards grants to schools, libraries and nonprofit organizations to support programs such as after-school reading events and weekend book clubs. Together we’re fostering a love of reading and encouraging children, preschool through third grade, to read together with their families.

Early childhood reading grants are $2,000. Grant applications are typically accepted between March 1 and April 30 each year, with grant notifications delivered in September.  Submit application online: www.target.com/grants    

  1. B.     AASL Collaborative School Library Media Award

This award recognizes and hopes to encourage collaboration and partnerships between school library media specialists and teachers in meeting educational goals outlined in Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning through joint planning of a program, unit, or event in support of the curriculum and using media center resources. www.ala.org

  1. C.    AASL Innovative Reading Grant

Established in 2006, the $2,500 AASL Innovative Reading Grant supports the planning and implementation of a unique and innovative program for children which motivates and encourages reading, especially with struggling readers. www.ala.org

  1. D.    Adopt-A-Classroom Grants

Teachers who register at the Adopt-a-Classroom web site can be adopted by an individual, a business, or a foundation. Once adopted, teachers will receive $500 worth of credit to purchase items that enrich the learning environment, including classroom technology. Teachers help solicit their own sponsors by downloading and distributing fliers within their community or by sending out a personalized, pre-written email from the Adopt-a-Classroom web site. Every donor receives information about the classroom it has adopted, including an itemized list of what teachers bought so donors can see the impact of their donation. (This sounds SO cool!) www.adoptaclassroom.org

  1. E.     Braitmayer Foundation Grants

The Braitmayer Foundation supports programs that enhance the education of K-12 students through curricular and school reform initiatives, professional development for teachers, and local community efforts. Its grants, which range in size up to $35,000, are to be used as seed money, challenge grants, or to match other grants to the recipient organization. www.braitmayerfoundation.org

  1. F.     Cable’s Leaders in Learning Awards

To honor innovative individuals who have made major contributions to transform K-12 learning in and out of the classroom, the cable industry\’s education foundation has launched the Cable\’s Leaders in Learning Awards. The competition is open to any individual working in U.S. communities who can demonstrate innovative practices or policies that have had an impact on K-12 education. Twelve winners will be selected in four categories. The nomination period opens Oct. 1. 2011  www.leadersinlearningawards.org (This organization is on break for 2010, but their site is a good resource to pick from when writing other grants.)

  1. G.    Computers for Learning

Through its Computers for Learning program, the federal government has placed hundreds of thousands of surplus computers in schools across the country on a needs-first basis. Schools register and request equipment on the Computers for Learning web site, and federal agencies match their surplus equipment to schools with those needs. Most, but not all, of the available computers are Windows-based PCs rather than computers made by Apple. Most of the donated machines are older models, but as the government continues to upgrade its computer systems, the number of surplus Pentium computers will sharply increase. www.computersforlearning.gov

Thank you for all you do in the life of a child!

May we continue to seek knowledge in all things!

Denise

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