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Professional Bio

Ruth Ayres is a veteran educator who returned to her first love—the classroom—after more than 20 years of serving in other capacities. Ruth was the Editor-in-Chief of Choice Literacy and the Director of The Lead Learners, a network that helped instructional influencers thrive. She spent over 25 years as a school teacher, instructional coach, and innovation specialist, coached hundreds of educators across the U.S., and is the author of four books. Ruth blends practical strategies with heartfelt encouragement. She believes transformational change starts when the people supporting teachers are prepared, inspired, and connected to one another.

One Little Word (OLW) Collection

Since 2006, Ruth has selected a word to live each year.

Not-So-Secret Delights

Ingrid Fetell Lee encourages us to consider secret delights—and to add them to our days. These are some of my favorite simple joys.

• Quirky grilled cheese sandwiches — provolone and raspberry jelly; or cheddar and apples; or gouda and red beets…the possibilities are endless!
• Homemade soap—Vanilla, coconut, or lavender always have my heart.
• Sky pictures—especially when they are creatively captioned. My adult kids regularly send me sky pictures with unique captions of the color like heartbroken; spilled orange juice; or gut-punched.
• Slow meals at our table or on the back deck—especially with lots of vegetables and fruit for dessert.
• Keeping plants alive—this is a new skill I’m developing.
• Snuggling babies—especially if they’re a little feisty and need to be comforted.
• Hiking with a friend—or walking in the woods will suffice, too.

Family

Our forever family was built through adoption. You’ll find many stories of our family over the years. They’re now all adults. Hannah served in the marines and now works in nuclear plant safety; Jordan went to dive school and is now working offshore in the gulf; Sam became a conductor for Norfolk Southern. Luna is still spoiled and loves to hike.