When have teachers ever been asked to do less? At the beginning of each school year, new initiatives are rolled out, multiple resources are prescribed, numerous trainings are scheduled, stacks of forms are introduced and teachers start out feeling crushed beneath the weight of it all. Never, I repeat never, are teachers asked to take …
Last February I started blogging weekly and in September a second weekly segment, That Thing You Do! was added. It’s a post by invitation where authors and educators share a strategy that teachers can put into practice in their professional lives. I owe a huge debt of gratitude to those who contributed this year. Thank …
I wrote here a few weeks ago about a poetry unit I was able to co-facilitate with a first year teacher. In that blog post I talked about how we approached teaching Mrs. B’s 3rd grade students to read and comprehend poetry. Only a few short weeks have passed, but I can not stop thinking …
From 1985 to 1992 my husband traveled behind the Iron Curtain and engaged in an operation that only a select few of our family and friends knew about. Before he could meet up with his contacts in the Eastern Bloc countries where he traveled, there were other individuals who smuggled materials into secret locations for …
For the record, I don’t hate poetry. I rather like it. It can be tricky, however, to pass on a love of poetry to young students. I know this because I remember sitting through interminable, painful lessons on poetry as a student myself. Last month I spent several weeks co-teaching with a first year teacher …
Readers are in for a treat. Today’s guest blogger is Jeff Blankenship, Technology Integration Specialist for Hurst Euless Bedford ISD in Texas. I’m a huge fan as Jeff has been responsible for training me from an absolute rookie in technology to near veteran status. You can reach Jeff by email at jeffreyblankenship@hebisd.edu and follow …
In Part I of Why Is Teaching Kids To Summarize So #@*^ Difficult? I shared that the first critical step is understanding why it’s such a daunting task. “Students must determine what is most important and form ideas from the text that are written in a brief retelling and this requires students to analyze, evaluate …
Each of us is small, all by ourselves, but we are big, when we stick together. —Deborah Wiles, Revolution I started this blog with that quote just a little over a year ago. Collaborating with peers is one of the most powerful practices we can engage in as teachers. Dreams can become reality. The …
Nicolle Rulff, first grade teacher on a Title I campus in Texas is guest blogging today. She has a unique perspective on supporting English Language learners and is sharing a strategy that she uses in her classroom with non-English speaking students. Thank you, Nicolle! You can reach Nicolle at nicollerulff@hebisd.edu. Twenty years ago I …
A huge thank you to James Sturtevant for guest blogging today! I am a huge fan of his blog, podcasts and just finished his newest book. James is a teacher and author of Hacking Engagement: 50 Tips and Tools to Engage Teachers and Learners Daily (part of the crazy popular Hack Learning Series) and You’ve …
