Is your department communicating? It seems like common sense, however, too many times teachers in the same subjects are not communicating from one level to the next. Students shouldn’t have to fill in gaps when they progress within a subject. Teachers need to move beyond the possessive view of students and begin to collaborate across […]
Languages
Posted inFeatured, Instruction & Curriculum, Instructional Strategies, Languages, Literacy, Science, Social Studies
Do you Speed Date?
No, this is not an article on helping your dating life, though if you are a teacher and are dating, my heart goes out to you. Speed dating is a strategy to “spice” up your classroom. The concept is to have two rows of students each with a concept or person to teach. Put a […]
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, Languages
World Language: 5 Ways to get your Students Talking
It would be a rare occasion, indeed, for any of our students, if while traveling abroad, are asked to sit down and write a paragraph about themselves in Spanish, Chinese or German. It is much more plausible that they will be called upon to introduce themselves, ask for or receive directions or tell about their […]
Posted inElementary School, Instruction & Curriculum, Languages, Literacy, Mathematics, Opinion, Social Studies
6 Ways To Teach Critical Thinking Skills
[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”] Critical thinking skills. What are they, anyway? How do teachers apply them in the classroom? There are just as many answers as there are questions. This article will attempt to simplify […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum, Instructional Strategies, Languages, Uncategorized
Push In Versus Pull Out Strategies for English Language Learners (ELL)
English language learners can be found in almost every public school across America. There are many different programs and models for these students to learn and acquire their new language of instruction. If there is a freestanding ESL (English as a second language) program at the school, then the English teacher has implemented either push-in, […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Bringing the Digital World To Your Students to Teach Common Core
“Don’t teach your children to read. Teach them to question what they read. Teach them to question everything.” –George Carlin The Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts and Mathematics are about thinking, questioning, and higher level learning. These are passions I have and things I am excited to see happening in classrooms. In […]
Posted inFeatured, Instruction & Curriculum, Languages, Literacy, Social Studies
Whit's Lit Tips: The Tools of Rhetoric
One of the best reasons for teaching is watching students transform, empowered with skills and knowledge that they did not realize existed. Introducing students to studies of rhetoric and oration has never failed to capture the best in every student. The right combination of wit and wisdom can make every student a superhero. Who doesn’t […]