Authentic Learning
What is your hook? Not just for Writing Anymore….
From the desk of Melissa… I am a mystery girl—the more convoluted the plot while still being in the realm of reality, the better! I love to evaluate each new twist and turn as characters evolve and the plot thickens. My favorite authors almost always surprise me, but their story holds together as I follow…
Read MoreCuriosity- Are We Teaching it out of our Children?
From the desk of Cindy… I have had a big life-changing event happen in the last year. My family has grown by one more! Sarah Elizabeth (age 3) entered our lives last fall and as of June she has officially become our daughter. Let me tell you that this has been a HUGE learning curve…
Read MoreMaking Math Meaningful
From the desk of Cindy… Anyone remember having to learn the rules for integers? Remember how confusing that was? This is what it sounded like to me… When the signs are the same you keep the sign and add the two numbers but if the signs are different you subtract the numbers and keep the…
Read MoreLearn from the Learner
From the desk of Amanda… The State Employees Credit Union where I bank has a play area for kids. Genius, right? But what I ‘m writing about is what I learned about my role as a parent and teacher by watching my daughter play there this week. I was in one of the nearby offices…
Read MoreThe Power of a Postcard
On our recent trip to the beach, I grabbed a few postcards in the checkout line so we could send them to some family that didn’t make the trip. Taking time to write postcards is a quick and easy way to ease your preschooler into writing and increase their “literary sense.” I set aside some…
Read MoreA Simple Math Conversation
Today’s blog is really written for my parent friends who are not exactly big math fans. And it is also written for my Aunt/Uncle/Grandparent friends who may not be math experts. Basically if you come in contact with a child who is still learning math and you are not necessarily a teacher, this blog is…
Read MorePreventing Summer Learning Loss
The summer break is on the horizon! This is great news for folks who are ready to slow down and have a more leisurely pace over the next few months. At the same time we are trying to relax and recharge, we want to make sure our children don’t become a victim of summer learning…
Read MoreYou Are More Than a Score To Me
From the desk of Hope… Dear Garrison, This week you are taking your EOG test and I can tell you are anxious. A little anxiety can be good. It can “help you get your A game on”. Fortunately, from your past experiences with these types of tests, you do fine on them and I feel…
Read MoreJerome
From the desk of Karen… “When I think back to our anchor classroom and others like it, it’s this same kind of spirit that permeates the very air. Children seem to breathe in, “I/We can do this” and breathe out, “Here’s how.” They see themselves and each other as kids with purpose; they see themselves…
Read MoreI was in the minority and I didn't like it!
From the desk of Hope… This year for spring break my family decided to go to the Dominican Republic with three families from our neighborhood. We had a wonderful time at the beautiful resort Casa de Campo. The thing I was not prepared for was the language barrier. I am not sure how I missed…
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