Context Matters

From the desk of Alice… Somewhere along the way I read about research that showed people can dramatically change their actions based on context.  I think the particular study I was reading about had to do with prisons and I came across another one that looked at the influence your highschool friends have on your…

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Teaching There

From the desk of Alice…   After writing about the way my own children have fallen in love with learning, I started wondering about the teachers who are nurturing this along.  Given all the demands of the current classroom, how are they sorting through the ideas and requirements to keep the student in mind?  …

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What's it Like to Learn There?

   From the desk of Alice…  My twins are wrapping up their kindergarten year at a public magnet school in downtown Winston-Salem, North Carolina.  They are in different classrooms (by my choice) and this has afforded me the opportunity to see things from multiple perspectives despite a similar context. When I have talked to them…

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No Doodling!

From the desk of Gina… When my daughter, Madison, was beginning the 5th grade she was doing the usual grind of work sheets, testing and homework.  One day a spelling test came home for my review and she had “doodled” on it. As I reviewed the paper I see the teacher assistant had written at…

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Share Your Thinking

From the desk of Carol C… Soon teachers will begin reviewing for the end of the year tests.  Some of the review will include using multiple choice practice tests.  Assigning the work and then checking the answers leaves many students still in the dark about how to find the correct answer.  Here’s a way you…

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Promoting Independence

From the desk of Leigh Ann… “To find yourself, think for yourself.” ~  Socrates   This week I have thought a great deal about how to make our kindergartners more self-reliant learners.  As a teacher I want to facilitate learning, model appropriate behaviors, and guide students in developing strategies that help them become competent readers,…

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Laney Sammons- Guided Math Workshop

ERG is proud to continue a tradition of excellence for the Summer of 2014! Laney Sammons, an expert in Guided Math, will be with ERG on Tuesday, July 22, 2014 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM (Registration & continental breakfast at 8:00) at The Hawthorne Inn & Conference Center, Winston-Salem, NC Click HERE for full details…

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Who "Carries Shelter" in Your Classroom?

From the desk of Keela… If you were to visit a classroom today, more than likely, you would find desks arranged in groups where students are encouraged to work and think together. Collaboration has become a central focus in most classrooms.  It’s so highly thought of, teachers are evaluated on how successful they are implementing…

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8 Things You Should See in Today's Kindergarten Classrooms

From the desk of Leigh Ann… Robert Fulghum wrote, “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.” As a kindergarten teacher I find that statement incredibly inspiring and do believe kindergarten is the place where a firm foundation and a love for learning are formed.  Kindergarten has truly evolved over the years and…

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It's Spring

From the desk of Carol C…. I was hoping for warm weather.  I was ready for it.  After all it was spring break.  Instead, the weather was cold.  It snowed.  All was not right with my world.  Then late in the week I noticed daffodils sprouting, tulips blooming, and iris stalks peeking through the dirt. …

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