Archive for September 2015
"Somebody, Wanted, But, So": A Graphic Organizer
Writing summaries is an important skill students need to master. Summaries help students decide main ideas and separate important from less important details. The problem comes with the latter. Most students have a difficult time deciding what to include and what to leave out. One graphic organizer we like which may be used to aid…
Read MoreImmersed in Interactive Info
Want a way to enable your students to be more independent thinkers and grow in processing and applying information? Try implementing interactive notebooks. These tools allow students to organize information through creative thinking and can be developed for most any curriculum area. Interactive notebooks are used for class notes, problem solving, and other activities where…
Read MoreBegin with the End
As the fall semester unfolds, our lives at work and at home seem to become busier than ever. One way to keep the stress under control is to be very well planned. At home, this may mean having a calendar that includes all family activities and obligations so due dates are met and events are…
Read MoreTune into Tech
Technology has changed the way educators teach and how students learn. Digital databases and educational websites allow access to literally thousands of sources and the flexibility for teachers to engage students and meet the individual needs of their diverse learners. Here are just a few tried and true sites for students that make the list…
Read MoreThe Secret Strategy
The beginning of the year can be a hectic and stressful time for teachers. There are many, many things that must happen outside the classroom and instructional day. There are also lesson plans, students and resources to manage. This juggling act continues all year, but during the first few months of school, it can seem…
Read MoreGood Books, Good Times
Reluctant readers…they can be hard to reach…hard to instill in them a love of reading. You’ve tried introducing them to novels, informational books, magazines, and nothing seems to work. These students read what is assigned, and that’s it. What can we do to inspire these kids? Poetry is not necessarily something you would pick up…
Read MoreGrowing All Learners – Creating Graphic Organizers
At ERG we are always on the lookout for tools that support and enhance the growth of all learners. Well designed graphic organizers are just such tools. These organizers can help students visualize and systematically arrange information and can benefit a wide array of students – from those who need enrichment to those in need…
Read MoreProfessional Books Worth Studying
At ERG we believe it is important to be a lifelong learner. One way to continue to develop yourself professionally when you have limited time and resources is to do a book study or just read a professional text on your own. Depending on what your area of interest and expertise is, there are many…
Read MoreWhat Makes a Favorite?
From the tens, hundreds, thousands, millions of children’s picture books, how does someone pick a favorite author or a favorite book? It’s an almost impossible task. Sometimes though it’s fun to reach back in time and find a book that was written 20 plus years ago and had almost been pushed aside, but as it’s…
Read MoreCelebrate the Read Aloud – One ERG Favorite
As ERG celebrates 11 years of growing all learners, we would also like to celebrate the joy of the read aloud. Just as music is said to “soothe the savage beast,” a great read aloud can calm a restless class. It also has the power to strengthen comprehension skills, build retention, boost vocabulary, and create…
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