For most teachers and educational assistants it’s time for a summer break; a time to kick back and relax after a busy year. Now’s the time to checkout summer reading related to schools and education. Here are a couple of interesting ones I’ve found. How to Teach Thinking Skills Within the Common Core: 7 Key… Read More »
The controversy rages on. Do kids need recesses? Aren’t they wasting valuable instruction time? If recesses are needed, how many and how long is appropriate? I’m no expert, but, when I taught, the recess breaks were important to the kids and to me. Primary children need to get up, get outside and run, socialize and… Read More »
Opinion EdWeek.com/blogs by Jal Mehta and Robert Rothman In this blog, organized by Harvard education professor Jal Mehta and Washington-based education writer Robert Rothman, students, teachers, administrators, researchers, and policymakers explore the practice and policy issues around expanding deeper learning. « Leaders as Learners: Exploring Equity | Main Five Secrets to Operationalize Deeper Learning By… Read More »
Struggling with Classroom Management? Consider investigating Education Week Press I follow Education Week Press www.edweek.org and suggest you make their Bookstore – click here your destination for ‘must-read’ titles on teaching and learning. Effective Classroom Management to Support Student Learning This book discusses the link between instruction and management, describes daily routines that contribute to… Read More »
The Search-Institute.org writes interesting articles for educators and families. Their article on February 3, 2016 addressed ways to support students as they take on m. Here are a few of their comments with my suggestions added onto each item: “Play with” the problem. Brainstorm, manipulate the facts, build models, step outside the proverbial box before… Read More »
Everyone likes to win. Whether it’s a game of checkers, a race around the yard or competing as an Olympic athlete, we all like to be named the winner. But not everyone can win in an event, so how to handle being the loser becomes important. Here are a couple of ideas: 1. Be magnanimous.… Read More »
When spare minutes arise during a task, this type of activity fits in easily. It requires no paper, pencil, pen or book. All you need is creative thinking. Ask one question. Use wait time to encourage better answers. Start a discussion. Examples: 1. A. Which is the most interesting animal and why do you think that: a… Read More »
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 »
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 »