In this time of COVID, our adult kids decided not to send each of their youngest children to preschool. I asked the kids if they were willing to send their sons to our home a few days a week so that I could learn with the boys. My original teacher certification is age 3 through …
I’m not one of the those people who possesses the natural ability to learn another language. We lived in Austria for seven years back in the late 80s-early 90s. I’d taken two years of German in high school and two years at the university level and I still embarrassed myself on a fairly regular basis …
Did you feel a call to action as images of immigrant children were shown being separated from their families? Maybe your action manifested itself in calling politicians, writing letters, leveraging the power of social media; getting your message out based on your values and beliefs about this pressing issue. I know many who took action, …
We have a wonderful reading interventionist who is out on sick leave until January. I have the privilege of meeting with her groups until she can return. The first group of kindergarten students I meet with every day are new to school in America and they’re learning how to speak English as well as learning …
Just this weekend I listened to Cornelius Minor’s interview at Heinemann and I can’t stop thinking about the power of advocating for our students. If you have not yet listened to the podcast or at least read the transcript, do that ASAP. It’s a game changer. The personal work that Mr. Minor is intentionally doing …
It’s a proud day indeed on today’s That Thing You Do! segment. Proud because I’ve seen Katie Webb start her teaching career and in a few short years look every bit the master teacher. Katie coaches me today through a systematic protocol for supporting ELL students with meaningful and rigorous language and content learning in …
Years ago, I learned one of the most valuable lessons of my entire career. I didn’t know the “single story” concept yet and it was long before Chimamanda Adichie’s brilliant TEDtalk, but what I did learn was that it is incredibly important to know as much as you can about your students’ lives outside of …
Today’s blog post is authored by my friend, Jill Shelby. I met Jill earlier this year at our first instructional specialist meeting. There was an instant connection. Jill’s family and mine both experienced re-entry to America after living abroad. I’m so pleased and honored that Jill shared her thoughts here about our privilege and …
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 …
I am incredibly honored that Zaretta Hammond is guest blogging for today’s That Thing You Do! segment. Zaretta is an educator and the esteemed author of Culturally Responsive Teaching and The Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students. You can follow her at www.ready4rigor.com and on Twitter @Ready4rigor Counter-Narratives Support …
