I show my class a book about whales. We are beginning a science unit on these fascinating creatures and I am using language arts to support it. I selected the book to start the unit carefully. It had to have compelling pictures with captions and text that would be challenging for them yet intriguing enough […]
Literacy
Posted inFeatured, Instruction & Curriculum, Literacy, Middle School
Say No to Boredom! Dynamic Incorporation of Nonfiction Into the Classroom
You learn on your feet Not in your seat! ~Dr. Jean Feldman Although Dr. Jean is a well-known preschool and kindergarten teacher, author, researcher, and presenter, most often her advice can be modified and applied to older students as well. Whether you are teaching to the Common Core State Standards or not, there […]
Posted inFeatured, How to Fix Education, Instruction & Curriculum, Literacy, School Improvement
Musings on Running and Teaching
[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”] No matter how much I prepare for the start of the new school year I still feel a nervous anxiety on the first day of classes similar to the start of […]
Posted inCommon Core, Featured, From the Front Lines, Literacy, Uncategorized
Literally Inexperienced David Coleman, Architect of the Common Core
“Literally” added a new meaning this past month….literally. A quick look at the Cambridge Dictionaries Online indicates that while the meaning of literally as “ having the real or original meaning of a word or phrase” will now include use of the word “to emphasize what you are saying.” A similar entry from an authority across the pond, Oxford […]
Posted inBook Review, Elementary School, Featured, Kindergarten, Literacy
Just Let Them Read! A Book Review – Part 2
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, […]
Posted inFeatured, Literacy
Car Talks & Conversational Learning
[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”] Reluctantly, summer ends, school begins and I am already wistful for the undefined pace of unhurried days. Summer offers us all our best educational experiences; learning to swim, ride bikes, plan […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, High School, Instruction & Curriculum, Literacy
Picture Books for High School (They’re Not in Kindergarten Any More!)
I hold up the book I will be reading aloud, Dr. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat. The students start commenting: This is one of my favorite books… I love Thing #1 and Thing #2! I (loved) or I (hated) the movie! Can we read Green Eggs and Ham, too? I settle the students down and begin, “The sun did […]
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 […]