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Volunteered: What I Learned from Cleaning Out the Barn
Recently my boss “volunteered” me for another committee. At first when I got the email, I was ticked and disgusted. I have plenty on my plate, and finding the time...
Introducing the Writing Common Core Standards: Planning for Professional Development
When I began to plan for how introducing the Common Core State Standards in Writing with a key group of leaders in our district, I kept these words of wisdom...
Educating the Writer’s Palate
On the day that I married my husband, I received two gifts from his aunts -- a cookbook of his grandmother’s recipes, filled with the Eastern European flavors I grew...
One Book, One School: Building Community with Shared Text
Some time ago I had the opportunity to read an early copy of R.J. Palacio’s debut novel, Wonder. I’d heard about it through friends and eagerly anticipated reading it. The...
Summer Planning: Goals and the Finish Line
“Don’t you love having summers off?” I think that’s a phrase so many teachers hear and unless you are a teacher, you don’t really appreciate the irony. Please don’t misunderstand,...
Are Your Writers Talking During Writing Workshop?
Writing workshop: the hour block in the school day when writers of any age get together to compose, create, use their imaginations, and play with words. When I think of...
Loops and Blended Classrooms: Practical Tips to Start the School Year
Anyone who has taught the same group of children for two years in a row -- by looping up with them to the next grade level, or blending (where you...
Energy, Stamina, and Training Wheels for Coaching Teachers
Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving. Albert Einstein I remember the day I learned to ride a bicycle in vivid colors. The...
Finding a Place for Graphic Novels in My Classroom
My classroom library has always been large and diverse. I want to have books for each student that they will devour. Several years ago I realized there was a hole...
The Quest for the Perfect First Read Aloud of the Year
I love summer reading. I love the freedom to read what I want, and catching up on books I’ve been meaning to read. And I love having time to browse...
Rethinking My Nonfiction Library in Response to the Common Core
The focus on nonfiction reading in the Common Core has us all thinking of ways to move our students forward as nonfiction readers. The new focus on nonfiction has provided...
Lines Written at Lunchtime Above Tintern Abbey
You said you knew it wouldn’t work because the pink of my bathroom sink clashed with the terracotta of the walls and the off-Monet of the shower curtain. But...
Making Thinking Visible
One of my biggest challenges as a middle school teacher -- aside from teaching my sixth graders how to navigate the halls, use their lockers with ease, and organize their...
The ABCs of Literacy Coaching (Part 1)
Summer gifts me time to think about the upcoming coaching season. In particular, I’m thinking about the new coaches: Vikki, Samantha and Meghan that I’ll be mentoring in the fall...
Ask Me – I’m Not the Expert
“If nothing else, children should leave school with a sense that if they act, and act strategically, they can accomplish their goals. I call this feeling a sense of agency.”...
Making the Switch from Desks to Tables
My principal stopped by the other day with a family that was touring the building. They paused at the door to my room while she said, "And this is Mrs....
Worldwide Cinderellas
Like many teachers, I see my classroom growing more diverse each year. My students can tell stories about crossing the Mexican border, or recount how different their classrooms were in...
What is the Content for Small-Group Instruction? (Part 2 of the Grouping Series)
My colleague Pam, who is new to small groups, had a goal of meeting with three groups of fifth graders each day. We had several pieces of information in front...
Don’t Be a Sneetch
When the Star-Belly children went out to play ball, Could a Plain-Belly get in the game? Not at all. You only could play if your bellies had stars, And the...
An At-Home Summer Reading Camp
Many teachers find ways to earn some extra money throughout the summer. I have friends who teach summer school, coach, tutor, and pick up odd jobs. I have chosen another...
Matching Students to Nonfiction Texts in Grades 3-6 (BOOKLIST)
We hear so much about matching students to nonfiction texts based on their needs and interests. Often the lens is very broad ("tweens will like this book") or very narrow,...
