People tend to have strong and often rather negative beliefs about math. These beliefs typically come from their experiences with math when they were in school- harmful teaching practices, being told there is only one right way to solve a problem and not being allowed to think outside the box, students getting anxiety from being timed while solving math problems, and damaging ideas about … [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...]
The Most Powerful Tool to Increase Positive Behavior Choices in Children
Reinforcement is a powerful tool for teachers and parents to use to increase positive behavior choices in children. Research shows us that rewarding good behavior has a stronger effect than punishing inappropriate behavior, and it is certainly more fun to reward than punish! What is Positive Reinforcement? Positive reinforcement refers to anything that increases the likelihood of a behavior … [Read more...]