When your child begins to read it is a thrilling moment. Then the press to rush their skills begins. We have this desire to move them up the ability ladder ASAP. As parents we want them to be in the highest reading group. We hope for high test scores. We picture Harvard or Stanford in […]
Instruction & Curriculum
Posted inEducational Apps, High School, Instruction & Curriculum, Literacy
The Treasure Trove of Language: In Praise of the Thesaurus
All hail.…extol.…laud the mighty Roget’s Thesaurus! Any one struggling with trying to find the right word can attest to the support that he or she may have found in the pages of Roget’s Thesaurus, a reference book that celebrates its birthday every April 29th. Writers pour through its pages in the hunt to find an alternate to “said” (articulated, […]
Posted inFeatured, High School, Instruction & Curriculum, Instructional Strategies, Literacy
Good Writing vs. Great Writing: Leading the Way
Have you ever been frustrated between grading pieces of writing that were good (had all the “bones,” all the structures, all the requirements), and grading really great, well-written, interesting pieces of writing? Both had all the meat, but only one had real substance. As an English Language Arts teacher, the question has been raised in my mind numerous times, […]
Posted inCommon Core, Current Events in Education, Featured, High School, Instruction & Curriculum
High School Students and Common Core
Common Core has been a controversial topic in education since it was first mentioned in 2012, then fully implemented in 2013, despite plans for a two-year transition. Personally, I have no problem with it. Standards are standards after all and it puts all the states on an equal playing field. One of my students arrived […]
Posted inChild Development, Common Core, Elementary School, Featured, Instruction & Curriculum, Instructional Strategies, Kindergarten, Mathematics, Science
Hands-On Science For Young Learners
My elementary class and I have begun my most favorite science unit of all: plants and life cycles. I look forward to this unit every year. There are five concepts that I want to drive home with this unit. First, that everything has a life cycle and what that means. Next, that not everything looks […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Educational Apps, Elementary School, High School, Instruction & Curriculum, Instructional Strategies, Kindergarten, Social Studies, Technology
Field Trips are Better with iPads
Every year I collaborate with colleagues to host a high school field trip to a local college campus. We explore art collections, tour the campus and give students time to explore the nearby downtown for a brief respite.  The goal of connecting artistic perspective to their interpretations of world history is tangential to the elation students enjoy with a […]
Posted inFeatured, Instruction & Curriculum, Instructional Strategies, Literacy
Make Them Laugh: Why We Should Teach Shakespearean Comedies
I love Shakespeare. I would love nothing more than to teach Shakespeare all day long. One thing I dislike about Shakespeare (and it is not his fault), is that we only teach his tragedies in high school. When I was in school, Shakespeare’s plays were taught in this order, freshman year was Romeo and Juliet, […]
Posted inChild Development, Common Core, Current Events in Education, Elementary School, Featured, From the Front Lines, Instruction & Curriculum, Instructional Strategies, Kindergarten, Literacy, Mathematics, New Teacher Bootcamp, Opinion, Parents, Science, Social Studies
Engaging Parents From School To Home
The school to home link is very important to me. Many people view today’s education as starting and stopping in the classroom. Learning is an ongoing process and needs to continue from the classroom to home and back again. But parents tell me all the time that they don’t know how to ‘teach’ their children, […]