and living life one day- and book- at a time
When it comes to creating a learning output in the ELA classroom, we can utilize either project based or problem based learning. While these two inquiry products can coincide with other subjects, finding a way to make them solely ELA can be just as rewarding in the classroom. Nine years ago, the word rigorous was …
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, reading has been on a decline since 2019. This isn’t too hard to understand considering the fact that 2019 and 2020 were pivotal years in education with the onset of Covid. Education was highly disrupted, and even though things have gone back to normal in the education …
I know, I know, I know. As soon as you get a grasp on the slang, things will change. Or will it? The word “FLEX” has been used, but considering it was used in a Will Smith (Fresh Prince) song from the 90s, was it really new? For some reason, old things become new again, …
In my classroom, the switch to discontinue lecture and teaching specific texts for teaching reading skills. Prior to this year, I had taught through lecture, and while I was secondary certified, I was comfortable with teaching certain pieces of literature. I thought that was what ELA was all about. I could use specific pieces of …
I realized recently that there is a huge discrepancy between when I first taught this unit and now. The discrepancy is that my students then could read, and if they couldn’t, they sure had me fooled. As I stood at the front of the classroom with my copy of the article in my hand and …
This week I started teaching my anti-bullying unit. It’s one that I developed after going to a professional development, and because it is mine- and a topic that is close to my heart- I love teaching this unit. I wanted to find a way to incorporate our informational text in with a novel study, and …
Students tend to learn best from one another. Having a student reciprocate a lesson to another student can be more effective than having a teacher go over a lesson. Moving them out of nice neat rows and placing them in a circle with the intention of discussion can breathe life into your classroom. Because of …
As I was taking down my bulletin board, I came across a small laminated card that I was given at the beginning of the year. It was my reminder to Love my students first, and then teach them after that. Simple. Love first, teach second. Unfortunately that small reminder was buried under the important information, …
The professional development that I have sat through lately has been on writing curriculum. While writing curriculum is great, it doesn’t meet the needs that I currently have: the Covid bubble of students. When Covid struck and schools were shut down in 2020, we had entire groups of students who suddenly were moved along with …
At the beginning of each school year, I stand in front of my students and I state, “Homework is a bad word. We don’t use it in my classroom. However, if you end up with homework in my class, know that it was a choice you made when you chose to do other things instead …