If I want my students to be thinkers, I must provide them opportunities to think. If I want them to be writers, I must provide them opportunities to write.
Grades 6-8
But What if They Don’t Read All the Words?
We put too much energy put into monitoring if students are reading all the words: reading logs, reading journals, or the worst of the lot, reading quizzes. Which of these creates life-long readers and which destroys them? From a very young age, students recognize the fact they are being asked to prove they read, and they resent us for it. And they resent books for it. What could be more sad than that?
The Gallery Walk in a Chromebook Classroom
While I love getting kids out of their seats and moving around the classroom, I wanted to experiment this week with what a gallery walk might look like in a Chromebook classroom.
So This Week I Falied A Lot…
I knew I was well-prepared for this first week of school and we would get off to a great start. And then the second day of school happened.
Teachnology: The Writing Process in a Digital World
One thing I devoutly believe as an educator is that we must share our ideas. Everyone says it takes a village to raise a child; if we’re going to say it, we need to commit to being part of the village. So, as this idea was freely passed to me, I pass it on to you.
We are All Merely Gardeners
We are only afforded a small plot of land in this life, but as Candide reminds us, even stubborn pieces of ground can yield a plentiful crop. Gardens are at times beautiful, dressing themselves in the vibrant colors of spring. Flowers bloom, leaning toward the sunlight; crops thrive, nourishing us. But gardens also suffer, languishing through the harsh realities of winter. Gardens are at times somewhere in between—like those that tend them—always trying to find a better way to flourish.
Seeing the Forest for the Trees 