Literacy is a bridge from misery to hope. It is a tool for daily life in modern society. It is a bulwark against poverty, and a building block of development… Kofi Annon As many of you know, I am a literacy mentor along with being a classroom teacher. The quote above stresses the importance ofContinue reading “5 Literacy Activities for the First Week of School”
Category Archives: Back to School
Depth and Complexity Icons: Where Book Clubs Meet Advanced Learning
Listen to the podcast episode. Good teaching is good teaching. -unknown source Early on in my career, I had a principal that really inspired me to be the best teacher I could be. When we used to chat about educational philosophies and teaching practices, she would always end the conversation by saying, “Good teaching isContinue reading “Depth and Complexity Icons: Where Book Clubs Meet Advanced Learning”
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Flip It: How Can a flipped classroom improve student engagement?
Listen to the podcast. Are you looking to improve student engagement during your differentiated lessons? Would you like to prioritize higher-order thinking skills while meeting the needs of every learner in your class? Then, I suggest you flip your classroom! Flipped learning has been around for almost two decades, though it has gained popularity overContinue reading “Flip It: How Can a flipped classroom improve student engagement?”
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Upper-Grade Math Centers: To Rotate or Not To Rotate
Are math centers only for primary grades? Is it necessary to rotate centers? How do I manage math centers and make sure students are on task? Upper-grade teachers, if you are asking yourself any of these questions, you are not alone! As many of you may already know, I have taught a variety of gradeContinue reading “Upper-Grade Math Centers: To Rotate or Not To Rotate”
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Differentiated Literacy Centers: A Primary Teacher’s Guide
Reading is the gateway skill that makes all other learning possible. -Barack Obama Listen to the podcast episode. Today, we are here to talk about two of my favorite subjects…literacy and differentiation. As the quote above so eloquently reminds us, literacy is really the gateway to all other learning. In the primary grades, we knowContinue reading “Differentiated Literacy Centers: A Primary Teacher’s Guide”
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Community Circles: Combining SEL and Classroom Community
Taking the time to build community, to get to know your people will have long-lasting benefits. -Clifton Taulbert Ah…SEL… sometimes I feel like we have a love-hate relationship. It’s not that I don’t see the importance of explicitly teaching social and emotional skills. In fact, quite the opposite! As educators, our ultimate goal is toContinue reading “Community Circles: Combining SEL and Classroom Community”
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Picture Books: A Window into the World of SEL
Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass…it’s about learning to dance in the rain. Vivian Greene Although SEL, or social-emotional learning, has been around for decades, it has really made headlines in the world of education since the pandemic. We as educators must explicitly teach students how to manage their emotions. Being ableContinue reading “Picture Books: A Window into the World of SEL”
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Summer Planning in 3 Hours or Less
Oh, how we love summer…a time to rest, a time to reflect, and honestly a time to become human again. We as teachers know how truly exhausting the profession is, and everyone outside of the teaching world just doesn’t get it. I think I can speak for most educators when I say the first monthContinue reading “Summer Planning in 3 Hours or Less”
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Facilitating Elementary Book Club Discussion Meetings in 3 Easy Steps
Listen to the podcast episode. In past blog posts, we have discussed the benefits of Reading Workshop, 5 easy ways to launch Reading Workshop, and how to start Book Clubs with your elementary students. In this post, we are going to chat about how to help your students run successful book club discussions. I knowContinue reading “Facilitating Elementary Book Club Discussion Meetings in 3 Easy Steps”
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5 Goals of Reading Workshop: Is It Effective?
Listen to the podcast episode. Reading is perhaps the most complicated yet most necessary skill to teach elementary students. This is a skill that will truly affect the rest of their lives. Phonics, fluency, comprehension…so much is involved in becoming literate, but what is the most challenging part of reading instruction? The buy-in! Have youContinue reading “5 Goals of Reading Workshop: Is It Effective?”
