Teaching
Start a Reading Movement
From the desk of Alice… I recently went to my child’s bookfair and came across the book Igniting a Passion for Reading by Steven Layne. I read this book several years ago and loved it so I picked it up for one of my ERG principals because I thought she would really appreciate it. We recently…
Read MoreTouching the Soul of a Child
From the desk of Carol C. . . My friend is a voracious reader. She reads, remembers, and seems to understand everything in print she comes across. Her vocabulary is amazing. Reading is her passion. Now go back 30 years and look at my friend. She would have been in first grade. It would be…
Read MoreChanging My Mindset
From the desk of Carol C . . . A few weeks ago I had a conversation with a colleague, Katy, about what she did to make math so interesting for her students. “Oh, I just let them play games,” she replied tongue in cheek. Well, I knew better than that. Katy is an excellent math teacher…
Read MorePrincipal's Hot Picks
From the desk of Alice…. In every school I have ever gone in, there are students who can read but choose not to. These students know how to call words, they understand what they read and they even think critically–when they decide they want to. They can be a challenge because the barrier to reading…
Read MoreFixing a Fixer
From the desk of Leigh Ann . . . “And they lived happily (aside from a few normal disagreements, misunderstandings, pouts, silent treatments, and unexpected calamities) ever after.” – Jean Ferris I am a fixer. That’s right – I have an overwhelming need to fix things. My husband calls it my “storybook complex.” I want…
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 MoreWhat Reflective Teaching Looks Like…
From the couch of Monica… In my first contribution to the ERG blog, I wrote about reflective teaching and how true reflection transforms what we are able to accomplish in the classroom through our planning. Considering the 20 kiddos in front of me as a teacher, and balancing their need with the demands of the…
Read MoreDrawing to Enhance Understanding
From the desk of Leigh Ann . . . During a recent literacy lesson, I had the opportunity to work with a group of fourth graders who were reading a piece of historical fiction. They were working to construct a character analysis and decided to create some drawings to show their understanding of the text.…
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 MoreInstruction Should Be Everyone’s Thing
From the Couch of Monica… Sometimes in education, in the day-to-day grind, we forget that reflection is a powerful starting point and an invaluable tool when we think about what kids need from us in the classroom. It is an easy thing to do these days, when there are many responsibilities and tasks imposed on…
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