Questioning and Students’ “Inner Voice”
As we have discussed in previous blogs, using picture books with upper level readers has many benefits. If you have students who have a hard time tracking their “inner voice” and often get a tangled up with comprehension, you can teach them how to question as they read. Student-generated questions are different than teacher-generated questions.…
Read MoreRereading + Picture Books = Higher Comprehension
Well-crafted picture books make the reader yearn to come back to it many times. The Stranger by Chris Van Allsburg is one of those books. Through his text and artwork, the reader has a natural inclination to read and reread as a way to understand more of the story. Helping students notice how rereading is…
Read MoreUsing Picture Books to Increase Critical Thinking
One reason we love picture books at ERG is they not only look inviting and feel wonderful in our hands, but also have layers to dig into! The themes that often emerge from picture books provide our students with ideas to explore, opinions to express, and rich conversations to be had. One magical quality of…
Read MoreNo Baby Books November: Verdi
Picture books. Most of us love them. Picture books are the instructional chameleon. They work in a variety of literacy lessons, formats, and purposes. They are brightly colored and engaging. For many of us, we are emotionally attached to these texts due to the rich stories and wonderful memories we have from either reading them ourselves…
Read MoreAround the World in 31 Days
ERG was all over the place this month — in a good way! Here is a quick recap of just some of our travels in case you missed anything on social media. Who: Victoria Brownlee Where: Sydney, Australia What: Keynote at the ACEL 2019 Conference Fun Fact: Victoria had Kangaroo Kabobs one evening at dinner.…
Read MoreFree Advice for Future Consultants
Dear Future Education Consultant, Don’t be afraid to say out loud you eventually want to be a consultant. It’s kind of a fun job. In fact, at ERG, we think there is really nothing better than supporting teachers. If you are thinking educational consulting might be for you, it’s important to know what you want…
Read MoreThe Power of Guided Math
When we joined forces with Laney Sammons in 2014, we knew Guided Math was going to be a special and exciting addition to ERG services. Alice and I were ready for the challenge of going the next level with supporting math teachers and excited to have an expert math instructor willing to mentor our team…
Read MoreDear Teacher Who Has “Bad” Kids
Let’s talk. As a trusted friend, we have to tell you it’s time to pause, reflect, and get your class back on track. Those kids in the back who keep talking while you teach… this is now your issue. Those kids who keep taking out their phones… also your issue. The ones who keep talking…
Read MoreA Day in the Life of an ERG Event
7:25 – Arrive at venue to drop off some materials. Realize it is not set up and the doors are locked. Go into panic mode. 7:26 – Look around building, search for other people, retrieve number of building contact and leave message. 7:30 – Find a person arriving for work who begins set up with…
Read MoreHow You Helped ERG
As we head into our 15th year at ERG, we want to take a moment to extend some Thank Yous. Thank you to the principal who hired us many years ago and is still with us. You are the leader who values the differentiated work we do and knows how to use the service to…
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