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 […]
Instructional Strategies
Posted inBook Review, Current Events in Education, Elementary School, Instruction & Curriculum, Instructional Strategies
Read Alouds With A Purpose For Third and Fourth Graders
I have been working through several books this summer to read aloud to my students; books that I’ve never read to them before. I love my old standbys but really wanted to find some books that could strike up some discussion instead of just entertain. I have read twenty-five books and have chosen the top […]
Posted inElementary School, Featured, Instructional Strategies, Kindergarten, Series, Teacher Leaders
How to Own the Leadership of Your Classroom: Craft a Vision
It’s no secret that teacher burnout is a problem. A commonly cited statistic is that as many as half of teachers leave the profession within their first five years. As retention of teachers gains attention in policy circles, teacher leadership has emerged as one possible solution. Generally teacher leadership means an opportunity to extend a […]
Posted inFeatured, Instructional Strategies, Mathematics
Make Leading Productive Math Discussions a Cinch!
Can you remember a time when you asked a question during math class, intending to start a productive math discussion on a topic you went over as a class, and noticed that you only saw the hands of your frequent contributors? What do you do when only 15% of your class actually contributes to the […]
Posted inChild Development, Elementary School, Featured, From the Front Lines, Instruction & Curriculum, Instructional Strategies, Kindergarten, Mathematics
Making Time and Money Concepts Stick
One of the most challenging concepts to teach younger children is time and money. Think about how confusing it is to their little minds: we spend all this time teaching them the worth of pennies, dimes, nickels and quarters, then switch to a clock that is split into quarters that do not equal the 25 […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, High School, Instruction & Curriculum, Instructional Strategies, Literacy, Middle School
Give Students What They Want to Read for Reading Practice
The middle school or high school classroom library can be an important tool in making students life-long readers, but how to choose what goes into a classroom library for independent reading? Providing the books that student want to read is different than pre-selecting books that students should read. Yes, educators believe that students should read selections from the literary canon, for example, those […]
Posted inElementary School, Featured, Instruction & Curriculum, Instructional Strategies, Kindergarten, Literacy, Parents
Engaging Students In Spelling List Studying
[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”] I am proud to announce that Stewart the Spelling Minion will join our classroom this year. I’ve already introduced Gilligan in a previous piece, who helps with social studies retention. Gus […]
Posted inCommon Core, High School, Instruction & Curriculum, Instructional Strategies, Literacy
Faulkner’s "I Decline to Accept the End of Man" Speech
American authors are studied in the secondary ELA classroom for their writing style and contributions to literature. 20th Century writer William Faulkner (1897 –1962) is one such author whose short stories (A Rose for Emily, The Bear, Barn Burning) are often anthologized in textbooks. His novels ( As I Lay Dying, Light in August, Absalom, Absalom!)are also featured in classrooms […]