I have read several articles over the past month that, in a nutshell, explain that The United States was founded on the premise of greed. And even as I’ve taught Social Studies this year to my elementary kids, I find myself making that link as well: the pilgrims came over because they were being forced […]
classroom strategies
Posted inBook Review, Featured
Student Centered Learning – With Technology! "Flip Your Classroom" – a Book Review
To buy Cari’s book that details her sudden unemployment, “How to Finish the Test When Your Pencil Breaks” please click here. Flip Your Classroom, by Jonathan Bergmann and Aaron Sams Publishers: ISTE, ASCD, 2012 The flipped classroom is already a familiar model across the country, and the amount of teachers implementing it has grown exponentially […]
Posted inFeatured, Instruction & Curriculum, Opinion, School Improvement
32 Qualities of Effective Educators
I revisited my roots a bit this week by putting myself in a new teacher’s shoes and looking at the “Pennsylvania Standard Teaching Application.” On the very last page of the application, there are 3 essay choices. I was immediately drawn to one that asked, “What are the qualities of an effective educator?” I challenged […]
Posted inFeatured, Instruction & Curriculum, Technology
How Technology is Misused in Classrooms
Years ago, the only real computer technology being used in schools was found in the computer lab, were rows of students would sit and learn how to manage files and type with some speed. In fact, computer classes at that time were optional. Students were allowed to decide whether or not they felt like […]
Posted inFeatured, Literacy, Middle School, Social Studies
The Poet Reminds Me
The month of April is a perfect time to to give attention to poetry. A middle school colleague and poet urged me to give some undivided attention to this often waylaid genre. My first email response was to do no more than to consider it but then I took a big breath and sent a […]
Posted inFeatured, Instruction & Curriculum, Literacy
Part II: How Does That Sound? Reading with Fluency
To teach your students to read you must know where they are. It is important to understand their current instructional reading level (accuracy and comprehension combined) as well as their fluency level. If you are unsure how to test your students and gather this data, check out my recent article “See Jane Read.” Students below […]
Posted inFeatured, Instruction & Curriculum, Mathematics
Interactive Student Notebooks – My Mathematical Lifesaver
Taking notes has always been the downfall of many of my students. They can copy what is on the board, but sometimes it is just not organized or even legible. Many students will just jot down the numbers, not writing down any part of the discussion or copying anything given during instruction. The students that […]
Posted inFeatured, Instruction & Curriculum, Mathematics
Almost Free Math Games: Teaching with a Deck of Cards!
Time and money, two things of which we are forever short in education. While I can’t help you find more time, this is about inexpensive, almost free, math games. I love when I find every day, simple objects that can be used multiple ways. In my classroom, it is a simple deck of cards. You […]