Teaching
Why Broken Hearts Aren't A Bad Thing
From the desk of Alice… We have decided to take a cue from Brené Brown at ERG and spend a year daring greatly. As part of our year, our theme for January is PASSION. This is one of those things that draws educators right into the idea of teaching. We have a passion of some…
Read MoreConfessions of an Old Teacher
When I was a kid I idolized my teachers. I thought they knew everything and I wanted to be one of those people who would lovingly impart knowledge to the masses. I wanted to be an educator. Diploma in hand and great aspirations in mind, I set out to teach. I was going to…
Read MoreLiterature and Math – A Great Match
“Reading books that weave mathematical ideas into engaging stories helps dispel the myth that math is dry, unimaginative, and inaccessible.” – Marilyn Burns From generation to generation, we have used stories to teach life lessons. Author Jonathan Gottschall reminds us, “We are, as a species, addicted to story.” As educators, we know that a good…
Read More6 Tech Tips
Technology has changed the way we communicate, the way teachers teach, and the way students learn. As we strive to prepare our students for the workforce and the world, we must create a 21st century learning environment where technology is embraced and utilized. We may be learning right along with our students as we explore…
Read MoreEstablishing a Positive Home-School Relationship
In August or September when school starts back teachers scurry around to get their classrooms ready and lessons planned for those first few days. One area often overlooked is planning for a positive home-school relationship. Cultivating a relationship with families that is based on trust will make your year and the students’ year much more…
Read MoreStay Organized, My Friend
I had a great To Do list to help me get organized. I just don’t know what I To Did with it. or-gan-ized – adjective – having one’s affairs and items in order so as to deal with them efficiently. Does the word organized make you heave a sigh and yearn for the time when that adjective might be used…
Read MoreAsking For Help
“I’m never afraid to ask questions. I figure if I have a question lots of other people have the same one. I just have the courage to ask it.”-Robin Gallagher, middle school teacher Have you ever been sitting in a workshop where the presenter is talking about something of interest to you, and you suddenly…
Read MoreOwning Less
“A spoonful of decluttering keeps the stress and chaos down.” Mary Poppins may not have said this, but surely she thought it. After all she was all about tidiness. Articles and books are everywhere on the topic of throwing out the excess “things” in your life. The methods they propose may be different, but all…
Read MoreMirror Mirror On the Wall
“Mirror, mirror on the wall. What did I learn after all?” Reflection is a vital piece of the learning puzzle. Unless we examine what we learned and how we learned it, we don’t know what worked well and what needs to be tweaked. The end of the year is a natural time to look back…
Read MoreTricks of the Trade – Be Intentional
“Change is inevitable. Growth is intentional.” – Glenda Cloud The school year is moving quickly, teachers are stretched, and students are growing weary. There are still many days ahead to fill with quality learning opportunities and you want to make each one count, so teach on! Remember – don’t just have good intentions – be…
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