Did you know about Digital Learning Day nationwide? I stepped up my enthusiasm for digital learning by telling students to SMASH APPS! and tweeted class totals (#dlday). Smashing immediately connotes images of destruction but according to my Twitter community it simply means using more than one app to create something digital. My students had opportunities […]
Instruction & Curriculum
Posted inCommon Core, Instruction & Curriculum, Middle School, Uncategorized
Perplexed in CT by Recommendations for EngageNY Curriculum
Perplexed: adj. 1. bewildered; puzzled. 2. complicated; involved; entangled. (o _ 0 ) ? I am perplexed as to why this word is on the EngageNY first grade vocabulary list, and again perplexed when I review the first grade units for English Language Arts (ELA) on this website. I am perplexed because I can see that several units in our […]
Posted inFeatured, Instruction & Curriculum, Social Studies
Issue Project: How I Empower Students to Change the System!
I teach high school government because I want my students to become empowered, active citizens who know how to effect the change they want to see. And the best way to get them there is to have them effect change while they are still students in my classroom. Enter the Issue Project. First, each student […]
Posted inAdult Learning, Classroom Management, Featured, Instruction & Curriculum
Building Self-Esteem: The Secret Ingredient to Reaching Your Learning Disability Student
For twelve long years of school and after, he contends with a situation for which he can find no satisfactory solution. When schoolwork becomes insurmountable, the child has few alternative resources. An adult dissatisfied with his job may seek a position elsewhere or find solace outside of his work; he may even endure these difficulties […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum, Social Studies, Technology
Week 3 of Rollout 1:1 iPads: Cede Control
The transition to a 1:1 digital classroom is a means for lessons designed around seamless cooperation between students and teachers to set common goals and outcomes. This week was a lesson in letting go of total classroom control. I spent the weekend rereading, How to Give Effective Feedback to Your Students, by Susan Brookhart. I […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum, Opinion
Olympic Lessons
I always get really excited when the Olympics come on TV. It gives me a chance to see sports on TV that are not usually shown and the amazing back stories about the athletes are always appealing. This year I mentioned the Olympics to my students and the universal reply was that they had no […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Forming Your Lessons with Formative Assessment
[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”] Testing is not a new idea in education. I remember taking the Iowa Test of Basic Skills when I was young. We had yellow number two pencils, small black circles, and […]
Posted inElementary School, Instruction & Curriculum, Literacy
5 Things You Need to Freshen Up in Your Centers this Year
[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”] The New Year often brings resolutions, starting over, and throwing out the old. Reflection is a powerful tool in classrooms that we often overlook. If you are new to centers, check […]