Authentic Learning
Quality – Not Quantity
From the desk of Leigh Ann . . . The word homework makes me cringe. I think back to the countless hours my now grown daughter and I spent at the kitchen table – more concerned about completing the seemingly endless assignments than actually learning from them. She survived, but my heart breaks as I…
Read MoreModeling the Sounds of Learning
From the desk of Leigh Ann . . . One of my favorite classroom signs reads, “Pardon our noise. It’s the sound of learning.” A class of enthusiastic learners is not silent, but filled with meaningful conversations about all aspects of the curriculum. Classroom talk is a powerful tool and is critical to teaching and…
Read MoreA Pain in the Assessment
From the desk of Leigh Ann . . . For as long as I can remember I wanted to teach. As a little girl, I would strategically place my stuffed animals around the small chalk board in my room and deliver inspiring lessons that prepared them for life. Not once do I ever remember having…
Read MoreReporting from Real Rooms: Math Stations
Because of the nature of coaching teachers, our team is fortunate enough to be in classrooms on a regular basis. This affords us the opportunity to not only offer our expertise, but also watch some important transformations that happen in schools. One effective practice we are glad to be noticing more and more is incorporating…
Read MoreExpected Versus Unexpected
From the desk of Carol C… How do you spend your day? Are you rushing from activity to activity? Most of us are so busy hurrying from one thing to the next we don’t seem to have enough time to do anything other than move at dangerous speeds. Now it would serve to reason in…
Read MoreCreating Milestones
From the desk of Carol C… Most “impossible” goals can be met simply by breaking them down into bite size chunks, writing them down, believing them, and then going full speed ahead as if they were routine. Don Lancaster I want to be healthier, but it seems I can’t to do anything about it. …
Read MoreTales From Tennis: The Court is the Classroom
From the desk of Alice… I didn’t start playing tennis until I was an adult. I picked it up gradually with a few friends who were patient enough to allow me to “just hit” and not keep score. Over a few years, I was able to keep score and actually win. I thought it was…
Read MoreThink for Yourself – Find Yourself
From the desk of Leigh Ann . . . “To find yourself, think for yourself.” – Socrates As teachers we are tasked to facilitate learning, model appropriate behaviors, and guide students to develop the strategies to become competent readers, writers, and problem solvers. Striking a balance between allowing them to be independent learners and…
Read MoreSelf-Doubt – An Enemy of Learning
From the desk of Leigh Ann . . . I recently read an article discussing how the brain gives priority to our emotions and I have seen first-hand how children’s emotions affect their perception of school. Emotion affects a child’s self-confidence and self-confidence affects whether a child learns to read, write, and problem solve. Learning…
Read MoreHinging on Confidence
From the desk of Carol… “… my father, Mickey Parsons, he encouraged me to be an actor. He never discouraged me to be an actor, and in a career that hinges so much on confidence a lot of the time, that was a really great gift.” ~ Jim Parsons, Emmy Speech 2014 What a tribute…
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