Notice, I said using novels teaching English, not Teaching novels in an English classroom. Many might say that they are one in the same. I tend to disagree.
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Working in Groups vs Group Work
Group work, collaborative groups, peer groups, buddy work, whatever you want to call it, it involves kids theoretically working together. In elementary schools, group work is quite common. Having taught 2-4th grades for 10+ years, we can tell you, group work happens. For some reason, as kids advance in school, group work changes, or disappears entirely. It’s a shame. Continue reading
Education Conferences, are They Really All That?
Education conferences. I have been to many of them in my 15 years of teaching. As a new teacher, just starting out, I thought they were the greatest. And they were… sort of. As I grew, and continue to grow, as a teacher, I am becoming increasingly convinced, there has to be something better.
How to be an AMAZING teacher!
If you teach, you probably want to be known as being that “amazing teacher” on campus or in your district. It is an admirable desire for teachers to have. I mean, what could possibly be wrong with wanting to be that teacher who kids remember for a lifetime? So, what does it take to be that teacher? Continue reading
Ipevo Wireless iZiggi HD Document Camera
Document cameras are useful. As a teacher, they are great for displaying a book, student work, etc. The only drawback has been that you must have the camera in close proximity to your computer…. Not anymore.
Why the Whys Matter More Than the Whats
Whys and Whats… it’s all about the whys and the whats. For years, decades, centuries even, teachers have regularly engaged in dishing out the whats… giving fact after fact. My question is, does it really matter? Continue reading
Heading to the Polls with Google Classroom
Google Classroom has been steadily improving since it’s release almost two years ago. What started out as a solid, but still pretty basic way to deliver/manage content with students is growing into a powerhouse. The best part, what Google does with it is based in large part on what we, as educators, want and need.
Google has had the ‘Ask a Question’ feature for a while now… and that feature just got better. Continue reading
Scheduling Blog Posts in WordPress
Everyone knows that there are times that are best to publish blog posts. You can look at your own blog stats/analytics and figure out when the best time of day is to post. The issue arises when the best time to post is when you can’t really post. The solution is an extremely simple one.
Does Competition Have a Place in the Classroom?
Tis the season of the testing, falalala la la la laaaa. (yes, sing it to the tune). Let’s face it, testing is real. We can all sit on our high horses and say what we want about state testing, common core testing, or whatever brand of testing you happen to give… but it is a fact of life. With testing comes a certain sense of competition. The question, however, is whether or not competition has a place in the classroom. Continue reading
Writing… as punishment… really?
In all my years of teaching, I have seen a wide variety of disciplinary strategies. I have even been a part of some that, looking back, were probably not the best way to deal with things. As one grows as an educator, one learns. We can only hope that what we learn is what is best for kids. Continue reading