There is no right way to plan a great lesson. Sometimes what you thought would be an amazing plan falls apart and other times what was supposed to take only five minutes ends up being twenty-five. Or my absolute favorite thing happens, there is a “teachable moment” and it is not written on any lesson […]
Instruction & Curriculum
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum, Instructional Strategies, Literacy, School Improvement, Series
What is Close and Critical Reading?
More than six years ago my school district found itself on the state’s list of failing schools. We were not making annual yearly progress (AYP) and it was becoming evident that we couldn’t keep doing what we had always been doing. Our demographics had drastically changed when the industry-heavy area began to crumble and families […]
Posted inFeatured, Instruction & Curriculum
"So What?" Brings Critical Thinking
[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”] This summer, I plan to spend time organizing question stems to spark critical thinking and post them on a number of slides to share with teachers. OR I could shorten the process and use just […]
Posted inAsk a Teacher, Current Events in Education, From the Front Lines, High School, Instruction & Curriculum, Opinion
Stolen Pens and Broken Tape: How to Create Boundaries in Classrooms
One day, I walked into my classroom to discover I had less pencils than the day before. I hadn’t given any out, so this made no sense. Then I found a broken white-out tape dispenser hidden among my things. I sighed and put things in my desk that I didn’t want taken. A few days […]
Posted inFeatured, From the Front Lines, High School, Instruction & Curriculum, Literacy, Uncategorized
The Quietly Rebellious Teacher
I’m a teacher. I believe in rules, structure, and consistency. To a point. I am not the end-all, be-all authority on education. I feel confident in my classroom and I know my students just like you know yours. But I am tired of people in positions other than in a classroom making decisions for my […]
Posted inFeatured, High School, Instruction & Curriculum, Instructional Strategies, Mathematics, Middle School
Helping With Middle School Math Homework
This article is for both parents and teachers who deal with middle school students. In recent years there has been a great amount of change in how math is taught in school. My 30 years of teaching middle school math has shown me that these years are very important for students to have and feel successful in […]
Posted inHigh School, Instruction & Curriculum, Instructional Strategies, Middle School, Technology
Blending Digital Time: Mobile Learning and Self Reliance
The shift in education towards mobile learning and self reliance has educators and parents grappling over the social dynamic shift in relationships between student and adult. Access to technology has transformed traditional responsibilities, and redefined cultural values which is alarming for some and liberating for others. The media tends towards a worrisome focus on the health of those with access […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Twain's Satire in "Advice to Youth" Speech
Students have regular exposure to forms of mockery, ridicule, derision, scorn, or caricature on social media, on TV, on film, or Youtube, yet many still do not understand satire. Despite living in an atmosphere saturated 24/7 with “humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule that exposes and criticizes people’s stupidity or vices,” when students read satire, they say they just don’t “get it.” Perhaps […]