Finding a Place for Poetry in the Language Learning Classroom

“Poetry’s work is not simply the recording of inner or outer perception; it makes by words and music new possibilities of perceiving.” – Jane Hirshfield, Academy of American Poets Chancellor I know I am, as we say in America, “chomping at the bit,” when it comes to acknowledging National Poetry Month. March has yet to…

Free Resource Friday: Seven Learning Zones Every Classroom Must Have

Discovery Zone Displays examples Provides a central focus Students record observations Students use the recorded data Supplies: Arts & crafts materials, books & magazines, cameras & video cameras, games, puzzles, instruments. News Zone Display learning target Display class-work prompts Display homework Supplies: Assignments, calendars, community news, holidays, birthdays, events, weather, world news. Supplies Zone Share…

Free Resource Friday: Strategies to Support English Language Learners

Speak slower, not louder. Provide outlines, advanced organizer, or visual guides. Write down key terms on the board. Integrate games. Read written instructions. Repeat. Write key concept vocabulary on a Word Wall. Integrate listening centers. Model new skills. Extend test time. Don’t rescue ELLs when they try to speak – smile, relax your feet, face,…

Free Resource Friday: What Does Transformative Teaching Look Like?

Have students ask questions and answer real-world questions. Questions should require students to: Analyze Synthesize Create Empathize Interpret Reference background knowledge Defend alternative perspectives Determine what they know and don’t know Organize students into learning groups Make learning segments manageable thorough modeling and mastery Guide, facilitate, challenge, and support Let learning transform you   Link…

Free Resource Friday: 9 Ways to Plan Transformational Lessons

Focus on teaching and learning strategies without neglecting tight curriculum Plan collaboratively Use backwards planning: design assessments and then content Make objectives comprehensible for students Create material that can be accessed on smartphones Build in think time for students before asking them to orally respond When possible, allow students to choose whom to work with,…

The Power of Poetry in the Elementary Classroom

In almost every single classroom across the United States, there are reluctant writers. These students may feel reluctant to write for a number of reasons; unmotivated by teacher-generated prompts, unable to connect with their day-to-day experiences outside the classroom, unsure of their abilities, or afraid of failure. In my classroom of 32 learners, I have…

Gratitude is like a flashlight…

“Gratitude is like a flashlight. It lights up what is already there. You don’t necessarily have anything more or different, but suddenly you can actually see what it is. And because you can see, you no longer take it for granted.” – M.J. Ryan in Attitudes of Gratitude  Find the full Edutopia article here: Gratitude Can…

When kids speak out on student engagement, we should listen!

Kids Speak Out on Student Engagement | Edutopia. “What engages students?” I’ve had this Edutopia article archived for some time. I have read it multiple times and every time I do, something new sticks with me. Student engagement is one of the ultimate goals every educator sets to accomplish year after year. For some, student…

My Mom: Reason #1 Why I’ll Never Stop Learning.

I love my mother. Her continued optimism, even through two battles with breast cancer, inspires me on a daily basis. I owe my innate ability to “find the positive” in every situation to her, a debt I will never be able to repay. My mom also fuels my educational fire. As an experienced educator, she…

19 Meaningful Questions Parents Should Ask Teachers

19 Meaningful Questions Parents Should Ask Teachers Edutopia.org is a premier resource for teachers. This most recent article is no exception. I found this article to be especially powerful because it provides us, as classroom teachers, an opportunity to view our teaching through an alternative perspective: that of a parent. While these questions are meant…