The day before Thanksgiving, I fought with myself about setting up cell phone rules for the family I love: 3 daughters, 3 son-in laws, 3 grandsons, and 3 granddaughters. I know I wanted my family to have face-to face conversations since it is so rare that we are all together in one place. I know I wanted to set some boundaries for phones during our holiday get together. And I knew I risked … [Read more...]
The Importance of Social Studies in the Elementary Classroom [You Can Help]
![The Importance of Social Studies in the Elementary Classroom [You Can Help]](http://schoolahoop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/importance-of-social-studies-300x200.jpg)
This year our district purchased new social studies materials for grades K-12. During the materials selection process, it was necessary for the social studies department to determine broad goals that drive our curriculum choices and alignment. These “transfer” goals transcend grade levels and tell us what our students should be able to do upon completion of their years spent in our elementary, … [Read more...]
Why Writing is the Cornerstone for Living a Literate Life
During my most recent Instructional Rounds visit, we read an article that referenced a quote by James Britton, who said, “Reading and writing float on a sea of talk.” This statement reminded me about the reciprocal nature of reading and writing and the integral role that talk plays in facilitating meaningful dialogue, purposeful writing, and thoughtful comprehension of complex texts. As … [Read more...]
Is Your Child’s Class Built for Success: Traditional vs. Today’s Classroom
Take a moment to imagine a school classroom. Was this your first thought? Rows of desks? Teacher at the chalkboard? Students listening attentively? Image of the Traditional Classroom The setting of this class is great, if what you want is for the students to sit at their desk quietly, look straight ahead, and just take in everything that the teacher is saying. For most of us, this is how we … [Read more...]