Archive for March 2012
Guided Piano
From the Desk of Melissa… What if we taught piano lessons like we do reading? “Alright, we are ready for our lesson today. To begin I am going to show you the notes in our song and play them. You are going to tell me what they are.” “Now you are going to see these…
Read MoreTeaching to the Test: Just Say No
From the Desk of Hope… According to many people, teaching to the test is unavoidable and those who opt not to succumb to the pressure will reap harsh consequences under tough accountability systems. I was at a school this week in which a principal told her staff that if she saw test preparation in the…
Read MoreAsking Our Questions for the First Time
From the desk of Karen…. This true story demonstrates why I am so grateful to Debbie Miller, Stephanie Harvey, and Cris Tovani. I share this short transcript of the first time this group of struggling readers brought their own questions to a reading group like these ladies taught me. Jerome began our discussion by asking,…
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