With all the sites for educators available a person could spend all day every day online reading and looking at ideas from educators who share their success stories. Here are a few basic, easy-to-implement ideas that caught my eye. (1) Ask students to pass papers sideways across aisles or to the back of the room.… Read More »
It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. Commitment to the days or weeks you volunteer helps the teacher plan ahead. Be there when you say you will. The kids will notice. Continuity in following school rules and guidelines matters. Those ideas are in place for important reasons. Collaboration with the… Read More »
Ever think about volunteering your talents in a neighborhood school? Great! Ever wonder what you have to contribute to that neighborhood school? Lots! Not everyone is a teacher at heart, but we all have worthwhile skills and talents we might share with students. Whether it’s for preschoolers or high school seniors, we all can step… Read More »
I always loved school as well as getting ready for the first day. “Back in the day”, all we carried to school was our crayons, our lunch and our jacket; everything except crayons was provided by the school (pencils, paper, scissors, even Kleenex). We showed up with our new box of 12 Crayola crayons (the… Read More »
Learning is a complex process. There is so much to take in, analyze, synthesize and organize. Sometimes we forget about the impact of our creative elements. Here are a few ideas of ways to stay creative. 1. Listen and view the natural world that surrounds you. It’s the proverbial “take some time to smell the… Read More »
As the school year begins for many families, the Costco Connection magazine is filled with back-to-school items. One article that caught my eye was entitled Math + fun = success. Laura Overdeck, a mother of three from New Jersey, has created a non-profit “that delivers nightly math stories to tens of thousands of parents.” (p.… Read More »
The best way to know what’s happening in our schools is to volunteer. Parents are often invited into classrooms to listen to young children read, help students of all ages with art or science projects or to assist librarians, the office or other adults in the school. Seniors, community leaders and others also step in… Read More »
This time of year always excites me. I love roaming the aisles of the back-to-school supplies sales. Not only do I find inexpensive pencils, paper, crayons, markers, post-its, rulers and glue sticks, I also find new things to spruce up my personal writing desk. I’m like the proverbial kid in a candy store when it… Read More »
Looking for great teaching/learning materials that are free or inexpensive? Checkout these two: TeachersPayTeachers.com and TeachersNotebook.com to see ideas for parents and teachers. You will find pre-K through high school sections of worksheets, ideas and books recommended by teachers. You will also find my Educating America books and materials as well as my primary freebies… Read More »
With so many historic homes, museums, monuments and galleries, it’s easy to sneak in a little culture during summer vacation. Notice I said a little culture, meaning within your child’s attention span. Consider doing a little set up. Research stops along a drive or near your summer getaway. Provide a scavenger hunt or a short… Read More »