Every single day we are tasked with ensuring that our students are entering into our building safely, that they are to learn wholeheartedly, and that they get to experience a wide variety of knowledge along the way. In doing this, as educators one of the pivotal roles we play is to promote classroom conversations. These …
In 1994, my 6-year-old son Nicholas failed first grade. Testing revealed he could read ten words, showed no strengths, and had a low IQ. The prognosis was dire, his future bleak. Finally, the diagnostician called him: “The worst child I’ve seen in twenty years of teaching.” I had the option to remove my son from …
How reading helps children learn social emotional skills I am a lover of all things book and the written word. As a child, I was precocious and very curious. Thankfully, my father had a great passion for reading and ensured that I, along with my siblings, understood the importance of literacy and that it was …
Using children\’s stories to bolster a sense of community connectedness and improve the culture at your school Imagine this… You are a classroom teacher or a counselor or a principal. You see and feel the culture of your learning community and note the need for a change. It is 2021 and people from all walks …
Using Children’s Literature and Stories to Change Culture in Your School or Classroom Read More »
How technology and district pressure are ringing the anxiety bell for teachers COVID-19 has changed our education system in ways that very few people could have dreamed. Last spring, most schools in the United States closed their doors to thwart the spread of the deadly virus. This fall, some school systems opted for remote learning …
Why Teachers May Feel Anxiety Teaching Remotely or Hybrid During the Age of COVID-19 Read More »
On the importance of self care in a difficult era 2020 has been an extremely challenging year for everyone in the world but especially for essential workers. Teachers and educators are definitely essential. This was clear when schools switched to remote learning and no one had a clue on how to service the children of …
Nearly 50 percent of new teachers leave the profession within their first five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education. This is an alarming number! Many new teachers enter the profession with little support and even less knowledge about the workload being asked of educators. Here are 3 key lessons new teachers must learn …
The 3 Lessons First Year Teachers Learn Too Late Read More »
Emotions. We all have them. We’ve felt the good, the bad, and the ugly. Happiness, sadness, anger, disappointment, guilt, love. Even though kids are small they can feel some huge emotions, and they should be normalized and discussed. Building a Support System Your child should feel safe to discuss emotions and feelings with family, friends, …
Pleasure reading and assigned reading are not mutually-exclusive activities Have you ever taken pause to consider your personal literary history? I remember back to my senior year, an honors English class where I was asked to do this very exercise. It is remarkable how influential the very first pieces of text you consumed are. They …
As your fairly typical “boy mom”, I can tell you I’ve seen just about every kind of graphic novel for kids. Long before my son discovered Marvel and DC superheroes, he found Captain Underpants, The Adventures of Dogman, and Diary of a Wimpy Kid, to name a few. Perhaps at first glance, graphic novels or …
