April is Poetry Month. What should you do about this? Take advice from Sir Philip Sidney and “Look in thy heart and write.” Sidney composed “An Apology for Poetry” (Defence of Poesie) in 1575, and in this essay he maintains poetry combines the liveliness of history with philosophy; this combination is more effective than either history or philosophy in inspiring readers. According to Sidney, poetry […]
Instruction & Curriculum
Posted inElementary School, Instruction & Curriculum, Literacy
Literature Connections with Poetry
[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”] For the past couple of years, with a push from common core, I have been incorporating poetry into my guided reading groups. I am teaching students who are reading above grade […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum, Middle School, Social Studies
My first day at the Organization of American Historians 2014 Conference in Atlanta
April 11, 2014: I am excited to be at this conference. I am a huge history nerd, so of course going to a conference that helps fulfill that love is nice. I am also an educator so I am interested in how this conference of historians could relate to my and other’s educational practices. My […]
Posted inAdult Learning, Featured, Instruction & Curriculum, School Improvement
Gaming as the Future of Learning: The Truly Epic Win [Part 1]
What if the future of learning is not measuring student achievement in high stakes standardized testing? What if, instead, the future of learning is in the magic of a great game? Ever since the 1983 “A Nation at Risk” report on the American education system, policymakers have consistently insisted that more and more high stakes […]
Posted inFeatured, Instruction & Curriculum, Languages, Middle School
Poesía en la clase de Español
“¡Otra vez!” My students were so used to hearing these two words (another time) in between choral recitations of our daily poem that it had unfortunately become a bit sing-song as they mimicked me. Pick your battles; I thought . . . here I stood, in front of 26 eighth graders as we recited a […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum, Mathematics, Opinion
Math Principles to Actions: An Invitation and a Demand
I heard a refreshing voice today. One that silenced the annoying diatribe I have encountered in the past regarding the mathematics dilemma. (Caution: a moment of personal trajectory coming in 3…2…) As an African-American woman, I am twice marginalized by the discipline of mathematics, and yet access to it has catapulted me to levels of […]
Posted inClassroom Management, Featured, Instruction & Curriculum
A Tale of Two Field Trips: Perilous Yet Rewarding
I recently took 11th and 12th grade on a field trip to Yale Repertory Theatre to see These Paper Bullets, a “modish remake” of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. We had arrived early enough to have a little time before the show to stroll the sidewalks of Yale/New Haven and grab a cup of coffee before filing into the University Theatre. The weather […]
Posted inFeatured, Instruction & Curriculum, Literacy
Springful of Poets
Each spring Lined note pads of Decorated paper from the dollar store Pencils or skinny markers Their choice Became the tools of Second grade poets. Who, Every single spring, Surprised me with their Prowess To paint words Into images Which laughingly, Startlingly Opened my eyes with Delight. Spring Equaled Lucy Calkins’ and Reggie Routman’s Books […]