Empowering student voice Just this week we finished up one of my favorite units of the school year. The Library of Congress sponsors a national letter writing contest where students spend time considering books that have had a major influence on them, and then write to the authors of those very books.Even that stands to… Continue reading They have a story
Category: 2018
Kids Need [uncensored] Books
I’ve been struggling with something recently. It’s been a recurring internal argument since I started to build my classroom library a few years ago. But, it’s been at the forefront more recently in the past month because this year I’ve made it my mission to build a reading community and read with my students. At… Continue reading Kids Need [uncensored] Books
On Compliance [Part 3: Assessment & Grading]
I’ve written about standards-based grading before (check it out here), so it’s no secret that I am supportive of this movement. In my recent reflection on the ways schools can promote compliance, it occurred to me that some of the traditional assessment and grading practices do just that. Our traditional grading systems tie an arbitrary… Continue reading On Compliance [Part 3: Assessment & Grading]
On Compliance [Part 2: Students Deserve Answers]
As teachers, reflecting on our why is commonplace. We often refer back to why we choose to spend our days surrounded by children, why we exhaust our resources and ourselves day in and day out, and why it is so worth it to help shape the educational experiences of our students. Lately, the push in… Continue reading On Compliance [Part 2: Students Deserve Answers]
On Compliance [Part 1: Wait for Directions]
I’ve heard many conversations lately surrounding the new generation of students that are just now entering college or the workforce. They are venturing out on their own for the first time and attempting to find their way. It’s exciting for them to enter into this newfound independence, and many of them are bright-eyed and enthusiastic… Continue reading On Compliance [Part 1: Wait for Directions]
Who are you as a writer?
I’ve been considering this question for some time, even more after hearing Pernille Ripp’s “Creating Passionate Writers” talk at nErDcampMI. It’s such a complex question with many facets, and one that took a lot of inner reflection and consideration to answer. Mainly because, until I really sat down and started allowing myself to write freely,… Continue reading Who are you as a writer?
Finding Hermione
Holy cow. I just got home from nErDCampMI and let me tell you, I am riding on cloud nine right now! Such an incredibly motivating, exciting, and reflective experience for educators. This is sure to be the first of several blog posts inspired by the two days I’ve just had as there are countless messages… Continue reading Finding Hermione
Why I Encourage Cell Phones in the Classroom
You’re in your classroom teaching your heart out, really delivering the lesson on intensive vs. reflexive pronouns when all of a sudden, a phone starts going off. You stop talking, every kid is looking around, and you find the one student scrambling around trying to make the noise stop as quickly as possible. Their face… Continue reading Why I Encourage Cell Phones in the Classroom
From Mentee to Mentor
In the world of education, the topic of mentoring comes up incredibly often. In a profession where a growing number of people leave within the first five years, it makes sense that we would focus on how to help new teachers adjust to the stresses of the job. Between grading, attending meetings, learning new policies,… Continue reading From Mentee to Mentor
What REALLY happens when you give students choice & voice in the classroom
Recently, my district has been making a shift toward a more personalized learning structure for our students. As part of this, we have implemented a variety of pieces of the personalized learning honeycomb. As professionals, we are each implementing new aspects into our classrooms, moving at our own paces. To be quite honest, I’ve been… Continue reading What REALLY happens when you give students choice & voice in the classroom
Curriculum Coffee 