Archive for December 2016
Secrets That Are Not So Secret
I love a list. And I really love a countdown list so you can imagine how much fun I have this time of year when there are endless things to count down for the year. I have seen lists for books, movies, music, food, sports, and I recently saw a list on social media called…
Read MoreConfessions of an Old Teacher
When I was a kid I idolized my teachers. I thought they knew everything and I wanted to be one of those people who would lovingly impart knowledge to the masses. I wanted to be an educator. Diploma in hand and great aspirations in mind, I set out to teach. I was going to…
Read MoreReclaim The Break
Yall- it’s time to reclaim the holiday break. Educators are some seriously busy people and in our house we go about a hundred miles an hour for weeks on end and it is truly time for a break. I have learned over the years, that we often have a hard time giving ourselves permission to…
Read More'Tis the Season to Reduce Stress
Just read the following e-card: December Lesson Plans Scrape children from ceiling. Repeat as needed. Enough said. ‘Tis the season for excited children and stressed teachers. Here are a few ways to destress during this “most wonderful time of the year.” Breathe – When chaos erupts – stop and take a deep cleansing breath. Conscious…
Read MoreA Year of Daring Greatly with ERG
Dear ERG Fans, It has been quite a year. As we reflect on several aspects of our work at ERG, we have decided the blog space needs a little bit of an update. In 2017, we want this space to be a little more interactive and informal than it has been. We know you…
Read MoreMath Picture Walks
During guided reading sessions, we work to stimulate the curiosity of our students by going through a “picture walk.” Even before we open a book, we show the children the cover, read the title, and ask them what they think the text might be about based on what they see. We work to pique their…
Read MoreVisualizing for Math Comprehension
“Just as proficient readers use visualization to make meaning as they read, proficient mathematicians employ visualization as they work to understand concepts and solve problems.” – Laney Sammons In Building Mathematical Comprehension, Laney Sammons points out the important relationship between visualization and cognition. Our growing mathematicians need to be aware of the role that visualizing plays in helping…
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