I’m dating myself, I know, but years ago when I read Ellin Keene’s Mosaic of Thought (1st edition) and she included Billy Collins poem, First Reader, I had a moment. A really nostalgic moment. A sobering moment. “…forgetting how to look, learning how to read.” First Reader I can see them standing politely on the …
Most of my teacher friends here in Texas are headed back to school sometime this week. There’s a lot of excitement mixed with a little dread. And that’s completely understandable. Before the name tags are printed and the bulletin boards are perfected, please take a few minutes to be as nurturing to yourself as you …
I love a good challenge. One of my favorites? Convincing middle grade readers that the work of reading is worth the effort. The last couple of years I’ve developed a deep appreciation for Scholastic’s classroom magazine, Storyworks. Each publication contains engaging selections in a variety of genres: fiction, nonfiction, debate, poetry and often a high-interest …
A few months ago, I talked with a friend who is also an instructional coach and she was troubled by a district meeting she had attended. As she recounted the meeting, I kept thinking, “Wow, that’s a lot of emphasis in one day-long meeting on compliance.” I asked her how the other coaches in the …
Four things I (re)learned in 2017: PLN Within and Without Professional Personalized Learning Network “is a tool that uses social media and technology to collect, communicate, collaborate and create with connected colleagues anywhere at any time. Participating educators, worldwide, make requests and share resources.” (Whitby, 2013) Being a life-long learner requires a lot of effort …
This is a repost of Dr. Mary Howard’s guest post earlier this year. There is much to discuss about RtI and Mary is one of the best to lead that discussion. I’m so honored that Mary shared her thoughts here. Dr. Mary Howard and I have never met in person, but she has had …
Yesterday my daughter took me to breakfast so we could celebrate Mother’s Day. Just the two of us. Alone. Don’t get me wrong, we love the rest of our clan. Getting to eat alone and chatter away about anything and everything, though, was the best gift this momma could have received. Before we left, Paige …
You’ve seen it. The slack-jawed expression from two dozen (plus a few more) tweens staring back at you. It’s terrifying and in my role as instructional coach on our campus there’s nothing that ties my stomach in knots more than that look of indifference. When I accept an invitation to co-teach or model a lesson …
This post generated a lot of interest when it first went live back in December. I’m re-posting this week in an effort to continue this very important conversation. Intervention must be thoughtfully designed for our most fragile readers. Much has been written about RtI. We have protocols and models, research-based practices and progress monitoring tools, …
So honored that Liesl James is sharing her wisdom about behavior here today for That Thing You Do! I’ve known Liesl for several years and now work on the same campus where she is the assistant principal. It’s an amazing thing to work with a campus leader that you are continually learning from each day. …
