This fall at her students’ instigation, Amber Chandler decided to give debate a try. She describes her process, her inclusive approach, and several lessons learned during a positive experience that also supported common core standards. Videos included!
The best way to help students learn to appreciate grammar, say authors Lynne Dorfman & Diane Dougherty, is by teaching it seamlessly within the workshop model. The Writing Project veterans share secrets for sustaining a writers community in your classroom.
Kids on the Cusp / Teaching writing
by Mary Tarashuk · Published 11/05/2014 · Last modified 11/29/2019
Leaping into writing with students can be almost as thrilling as sky-diving, says Mary Tarashuk, who has now tried both. Here she describes how she is modeling “the writer as reader” with her 4th graders and shares their organizer for narrative writing.
Want to improve relationships between families and school? Teachers benefit when learning is reinforced and supported from home. Consultant Barbara Blackburn has tips on how to PAIR with parents and avoid school-side mistakes that weaken engagement.
When bickering and bullying began to weaken her classroom culture, 6th grade teacher Mackenzie Grate tried a simple but powerful strategy involving pink and green sticky notes, 30 brown paper bags, and some brutal honesty. The results were impressive.
Kids on the Cusp / Parent Engagement
by Mary Tarashuk · Published 09/23/2014 · Last modified 11/21/2019
As a 4th grade teacher, Mary Tarashuk is responsible for helping her students begin the transition from early to more independent learning. At Back-to-School Night, Tarashuk talked with parents about why kids will benefit from some academic struggle.
Teaching with Heart gives voice to teachers and explores the nature of teaching in a totally new way. Reviewer and teacher-leader Ariel Sacks also finds it a testament to the power of poetry in a culture that often forgets its value.
The spectrum of health issues our students face is mind-boggling, but our response to their needs shouldn’t be. With forethought and guidance from school personnel, worries about children with health conditions can be reduced, says teacher Beth Morrow.
Technology allows us to record and reflect on the writing process in ways that pencil and paper could not, says digital writing expert Troy Hicks. The MS teacher turned college prof demonstrates with a video demo’ing how we might teach sentence combining.
Movies and television are recognized in the Common Core standards as forms of “text” that deserve serious study. Media literacy expert Frank W. Baker suggests ways that the Emmy Awards might serve as a way to engage students around familiar media.
