It is important for students to know their own learning style needs. Even after you give students a learning style assessment, it is important for them to take responsibility for adjusting their habits so they can achieve greater success. I know my style and my tendencies. Can you find yours in this brief look? The… Read More »
On Sunday I had the opportunity to do an informal presentation to a group of GED instructors. It was heartening to be able to give them a couple of new tools and to encourage them to use higher level thinking skills even more than they currently do. Since education is a village effort, I appreciated… Read More »
As the CCSS become the basis for a stronger educational base, we need to incorporate skills across the space between school and home. One way to encourage more rigor is to use common reading materials such as magazines and newspapers. Most families have access to these materials or can gain access easily through subscription, library resources or… Read More »
The more I work in classrooms, the more I see how much teachers appreciate my time. The truest test is the moment I see the teacher. Invariably I am met with a smile and “I’m so glad you are here.” Whether the classroom has 20 or 30 students, teachers always find tasks I can assist… Read More »
School breaks offer a great chance to engage in family activities. Whether those activities are home baking, sharing books or movies, or visiting local sites or relatives, they give families a chance to spend quality time together around the adults work schedules. In winter those breaks might include special activities such as playing in the… Read More »
Details can sometimes foul up plans by the fact that we become so overwhelmed by what we are doing that we lose sight of our objective. Guilty. I decided to scan my blogs and found that in my hurry to share ideas, I created drafts instead of posts for over half of my weekly Word… Read More »
With all the news of educations trials and tribulations, the ‘thank you’ part is often overlooked: Thank you to teachers who spend their free time working for and thinking about school, students and what more can be done to make education more interesting and relevant. Thank you to classroom assistants and volunteers for their hours spent… Read More »
Parenting: school years came out with an exhaustive list of lists and percentages about family issues and values. Their Tough Love (Jan., 2013, p.76) comments put me on alert. 54% insist kids finish an activity they start even if they don’t like it. 58% of kids have chores and a third of kids with chores… Read More »
In the season of reflection and giving thanks, I want to remember so many people who influenced my decision to become me. My parents encouraged me to read, write, create on my own, dance, sing and be my own person while taking responsibility for my actions. My teachers for opening up the world beyond my… Read More »
Planning lessons is important for your students. In-between times, the transitions, need to be planned as well. That’s the time when you can ‘lose’ some students to dis-behavior. When are the transition times? * arrival, departure from the classroom * beginning and end of small groups * lining up for leaving/returning to the room *… Read More »