A few weeks ago, I wrote an article about the highlights from my reading of the beginning of Donalyn Miller’s The Book Whisperer. It has been many years since I have been so touched and so inspired by my professional reading. Throughout the book, two themes emerge: as literacy teachers, we must promote, model, […]
Elementary School
An elementary school is a primary school for children between the ages of 5-11 and between the grades prekindergarten and secondary education.
Posted inElementary School, Featured, Kindergarten, Literacy
Multilingualism and Language Acquisition in the US
[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”] It is very difficult to learn a second language. Part of this difficulty is that in America we begin learning that second language later in life. Language learning is not typically […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Elementary School, How to Fix Education, Kindergarten, Uncategorized
Education News: Florida Education Commissioner Resigns Amidst Controversy
[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”] Under Governor Rick Scott, Florida’s education system has undergone a massive overhaul the last few years. Part of the overhaul included severe accountability rules with school report cards based on students’ […]
Posted inElementary School, Featured, Kindergarten, New Teacher Bootcamp
Setting Up Your Elementary Classroom
I have a photo book of my first classroom, seventeen years ago. The desks are piled in the middle of the room. The teacher desk, my favorite item, was an old wooden desk. I still have it today. In fact, I changed buildings 5 years ago with the stipulation that my desk goes with me. […]
Posted inCommon Core, Elementary School, How to Fix Education, Instruction & Curriculum, Kindergarten, Uncategorized
Education’s Ancient Texts: The Rosetta Stone and Standardized Test Data
[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”] As I stood in front of the Rosetta Stone in the British Museum in London, I had to wiggle my way through the blockade of tourists who were trying to photograph the small […]
Posted inElementary School, Featured, Kindergarten, New Teacher Bootcamp
If You Become an ESL Teacher…
[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”] When I became an ESL teacher I was not prepared for a lot of what happened my first two years. It is very true when they say that you aren’t really […]
Posted inElementary School, Featured, Kindergarten, Uncategorized
Refugee Students: Who will advocate for the UN-Common students who got Left Behind during the Race to the Top?
By Jennifer Healey Portland, OR The notion that ALL students can be lifted up and freed from their circumstances, past language barriers, out of poverty and away from war and crime and drugs, upward and onward toward a glorious middle-class future, is absurd. If we insist on being a country with an elite high school […]
Posted inElementary School, Instruction & Curriculum, Kindergarten, Literacy
Summer Reading: The 50/50 Paradox
The paradox of summer reading: Read=pleasure or Read=work. All students should read at least one book this summer. Students should practice the independent reading skills they have used the whole school year. They should receive credit for reading over the summer, but to give credit means an assessment. An assessment comes dangerously close to committing Readicide,(n): The systematic killing […]