As you think about setting up your elementary classroom this year, start with your theme. What interests or passions do you have? How can you share these with students to demonstrate life skills of persistence, listening with understanding, thinking flexibly, questioning, creating, imagining, learning from failure? Our school-wide theme this year is CHAMPS and I am using […]
Posted inClassroom Management, Featured, Technology
10 Traits of a Top-Notch Teacher Website
[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”] According to a recent survey by eSchoolNews, students are using computers and the Internet more now than ever. A majority of students say that they use the Internet for homework help, […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, From the Front Lines
Assigning Public Speaking Isn't Teaching
By Erik Palmer I am concerned about student oral communication. Students don’t generally speak well and almost all of them fear or hate presenting. I also think about the speaking and listening standard of the Common Core State Standards. I realize that so far I am alone in focusing on this standard but I truly […]
Posted inFeatured, Instruction & Curriculum, Series, Social Studies
The Traveling Teacher: Lewis and Clark in Missoula, Montana
[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”] In my previous travels, I’ve visited both Philadelphia and Denver. After a 3-day respite at home, I headed back for the Mountain Time Zone to experience all that Big Sky Country […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, High School, Middle School, School Improvement, Uncategorized
Just the Facts: Charter High School Performance in Memphis, TN
My school has a strong data driven culture. We use data not just to identify grade level or class wide trends, but trends with individual students. Because it’s not enough for me to know that the entire class scored, say, an 80 percent on a specific assessment. I need to be able to identify high, […]
Posted inFeatured, Middle School
How 'Angels in My Classroom' Came to Be
Lee-Ann Meredith is the author of Angels in My Classroom: How Second Graders Saved My Life At the end of my first semester as a teacher, my 44 year old husband was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. As a family, we began the long journey of radiation, surgery, and chemotherapy. There were decidedly the everyday moments […]
Posted inCommon Core, Elementary School, Instruction & Curriculum
Science Inquiry: Take the Plunge
This summer the Kansas State Department of Education hosted three academies led by teachers for teachers. I attended a session on science curriculum to learn about the next generation science standards that will be implemented in my classroom next year. I have been teaching inquiry based science for five years (or more) and enjoy the learning […]
Posted inEducational Apps, Featured, Instruction & Curriculum, Middle School, School Improvement
Summer Selfies – Understanding Infographics
[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”] Each summer our school offers flex time for professional development. Most faculty seize this opportunity to meet, work in teams, document our hours for the day and submit our accomplishment which substitute for an In Service […]