Blog
Troubleshooting for Elementary Blended Learning in the Classroom
Listen In our last article, we explored what blended learning looks like in the elementary classroom setting. Because blended learning is used a lot more in the late elementary and secondary settings, there are some “kinks” to be worked out. Here are some suggestions on ways to do that. All...
Teachers’ Concerns About Returning to School
Listen In a previous post we explored how other countries are coping with reopening schools, but teachers around the globe have so many practical questions and concerns regarding the implications of reopening when there are still so many unknowns about this virus. Many teachers feel left out as the decisions...
How Other Countries Are Coping with Restarting School
Listen Students and educators alike have been terribly disappointed by the fact that school won’t be resuming face-to-face classes for this school year. Although there are many disadvantages to those involved in remote learning, there are some things that can be taken into consideration as advantages. One great advantage is...
Literacy in High School, Part 2: Student Choice
Listen In our previous post, we look at how Reading Workshop can be used in the secondary classroom, but getting students to read depends a lot on what they read. Student Choice Richard Allington and Rachel Gabriel stated in their 2012 article in Educational Leadership, “Every Child, Every Day” that...
Literacy in High School, Part 1: Reading Workshop
Listen Getting teenagers to want to read can seem like an impossible task. Heck, getting teenagers to not turn to active revolt, bearing protest signs (or at least passive and indifferent expressions) upon the mere mention of reading a book could be considered a victory worth running out of your...
Remote Learning Idea #6: Teaching High School Using Children’s Books
Listen This weird season of remote learning is the perfect time to try something new and make a bit of a fool of yourself if it will get your students’ attention and keep it while also providing a meaningful learning experience. One of our writers’ favorite things to do when...
Non-Standard Units of Measurement in Early Math
We recently had a great question from a teacher. She asked if anyone else hated teaching non-standard units of measurement in math. That reminded those of us who teach math of many years of the same frustration and struggle. However, when we sat down and talked about it as a...
Time Management for Online Classes
Listen It’s difficult to manage new technology while you’re also trying to manage your class and teach content. In order to make it easier, create an outline template that you can follow to stay on track. 45-Minute Lesson Example Greet and Hello, -00:10 to 00:00 If it’s possible, open the...
Rules and Tools for Classroom Management
Listen Online learning is a brave new world. You may feel that you’re starting to get the hang of the online learning experience, but you hope to add a little more depth in the coming weeks. That’s hard to do when your online classroom is like the Wild, Wild West...
Helping Parents Teach Their Children
Listen Parents are struggling. They are not okay right now. They may be reaching out to you for help, and you may be thinking to yourself, “I didn’t sign up to teach parents how to teach.” However, this is where we’re at. Parents have been tasked with becoming their child’s...
Remote Learning Idea #3: Do-able Poetry Intro or Review
Listen How can 6 little letters elicit such fear, dread, anxiety, and memories of failure and defeat? And, that’s just for the teachers! Many of us literature nerds love poetry. You probably remember how excited you were building your poetry packet your first year teaching ELAR. The other teachers on...
Remote Learning Idea #1: Novel Studies for Secondary Students
Listen For most of us, the notion of remote learning is a totally foreign experience, but many of the things we have been doing in class can be translated to fit into this new platform. The reality is that not all parents are properly equipped to teach heavy content, and...