Archive for October 2013
3 Lies You Are Told About Highschool
From the desk of Katie… I am finishing my first quarter of highschool in Winston-Salem, NC. Before I came to highschool, I was told lots of things about what highschool would be like. People made me kind of nervous with the things they said and the way they described it. Now that I am in…
Read MoreWho "Carries Shelter" in Your Classroom?
From the desk of Keela… If you were to visit a classroom today, more than likely, you would find desks arranged in groups where students are encouraged to work and think together. Collaboration has become a central focus in most classrooms. It’s so highly thought of, teachers are evaluated on how successful they are implementing…
Read More6 Tips for Using Mentor Texts
From the desk of Carol C… For a long time I had no idea what a mentor text was. I would hear the term thrown around but never really got the specifics of it. When I finally did learn what mentor texts were, I realized the power they had to grow student writers. I thought…
Read MoreA Boy and the Library
From the desk of Alice… Let me introduce you to Miller: He is 6. He is a boy. His favorite time of day at school is on the playground because he is “fast”. He likes to be right. All the time. He has a sharp sense of humor and understands sarcasm. He enjoys math because…
Read More8 Things You Should See in Today's Kindergarten Classrooms
From the desk of Leigh Ann… Robert Fulghum wrote, “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.” As a kindergarten teacher I find that statement incredibly inspiring and do believe kindergarten is the place where a firm foundation and a love for learning are formed. Kindergarten has truly evolved over the years and…
Read MoreTips for Teaching Argumentative Writing
From the desk of Carol C… Writing is an important component of the Common Core literacy standards. There are three types of writing the CC addresses: argumentative/opinion, informational, and narrative. All three of these types are found in the standards at every grade level K-12. In the past, most students have written narratives or informational…
Read MoreOwning Behavior
From the desk of Keela… I have a big job to continue to do to the next 150 some days of school. The best gift I can give my students is teaching them how to think critically. And not only in areas like math, science, and language arts, but also when it comes to discipline. …
Read MoreOne Little Way to Enlarge Your Child's World
From the desk of Leigh Ann… “There are many little ways to enlarge your child’s world. Love of books is the best of all.” ~ Jacqueline Kennedy Research has shown that one of the most important things a parent can do to help instill a love of learning in their child is to read to…
Read More5 Reasons to Reduce Standardized Testing
From the desk of Hope… 5 Reasons to Reduce Standardized Testing 1. Learners need a substantial amount time to practice and apply the content in which they are learning. The young man learning to be a postal worker spends most of his time sorting mail and rehearsing his mail route to get ready for his…
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