Teaching
The 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 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 MoreFiction or Nonfiction? Why Do We Care?
From the desk of Amanda… Teacher: So we’ll be reading a text today called My Bones. Is this fiction or non-fiction? As a student, I love this question because I have a 50/50 shot even if I completely guess. As an adult, I’m thinking, “Boy, I’d love to take those odds to Vegas.” Student 1: …
Read MoreDazed and Confused
From the desk of Amanda… I got an email yesterday… It was from a teacher. It was a question. The question was about a lesson idea. I am SO excited. I love it when we can be smarter together. It made me think, “I bet other people have this same question.” So I decided…
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 MoreBe a Guided Reading Fashionista
From the desk of Melissa… Somehow I don’t think this is what Glamour magazine had in mind when they were writing their fashion notes for 2012: cheerful color-blocking (√), colorful camo (√), and metallic basics (√). All the pieces are there, but something still isn’t right. Have you ever found this to be true in…
Read MoreGuided Piano
From the Desk of Melissa… What if we taught piano lessons like we do reading? “Alright, we are ready for our lesson today. To begin I am going to show you the notes in our song and play them. You are going to tell me what they are.” “Now you are going to see these…
Read MoreAsking Our Questions for the First Time
From the desk of Karen…. This true story demonstrates why I am so grateful to Debbie Miller, Stephanie Harvey, and Cris Tovani. I share this short transcript of the first time this group of struggling readers brought their own questions to a reading group like these ladies taught me. Jerome began our discussion by asking,…
Read MoreQuestioning Questioning Part 2
From the desk of Amanda… Last week we talked about taking the first step in having students ask questions. The goal with step one is just to practice asking questions so students can strengthen their inner voices—the simple act of being conscious and intentional about asking questions helps achieve that. But we can’t stop there. …
Read MoreA Question about Questioning
From the desk of Amanda… I’m a rule follower. This is a good thing if you’re riding in a car with me, but sometimes following the rules can be a bad thing. Let me explain what I mean. When I was still teaching, I followed the rules. Whatever my principal said to do, I did—even…
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