Article Content Type: Article
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Community over Connectivity: Mindful Technology Practices
As a school leader, I don't have all the resources I want, but one of the few I can generally ask for and expect to receive is technology. Whether software...
Message from the Moon
Message from the Moon In my solitary work I am dark, a wounded myth of stories, ghosts and dreams. You brush the hard places luminous like a campfire—...
Know Their Story
Sally was a veteran teacher. That’s what I was told. She’s one of our vets. As a younger educator, I had heard that phrase several times to describe teachers who...
Building Routines
I give the group of teachers a big wave and a smile as they quietly slip out of the classroom. Many of them smile and wave back, some mouth Thank...
Confusing Children
Many kids show up in school with behaviors that confuse adults. Our understanding of the way brains work, especially our understanding of self-regulation, will determine our solutions or responses to...
Ms. Perfectly Nice
We all know that teacher. The one who is agreeable, pleasant to work with, quiet, and perfectly nice. Heck, I think I’ve even been that teacher. I have sat in...
Avoiding Flat Tires
This spring, I discovered a colossal flat tire on my bike. Not the kind that an air compressor will help, either—the tire, ripped and frayed, didn’t even adhere to the...
Literacy Audit (Part 6): Becoming a Literacy Ambassador
Not long ago, I heard a speaker at a conference ask the audience, made up of instructional coaches, for ideas about literacy programs. One attendee raised her hand and shared...
Reader Response as an Entry to Conferring
“How often do you confer with readers?” I get asked this question a lot. In fact, I work with a close friend of mine who, before I can answer that...
What Does It Mean to Read?
It was late fall, and I was sitting in our reading reflection circle listening to my students share their thinking with the group. “I read 35 pages,” said Luke. Not...
Annotating While Reading
an·no·tate VERB annotates (third person present) · annotated (past tense) · annotated (past participle) · annotating (present participle) add notes to (a text or diagram) giving explanation or comment. (Definition from the Oxford Dictionary) My students annotate...
Levels and What’s Appropriate
“How do you know they are reading books at their level?” the visitor asked. This is the question I hear the most often from visitors to my classroom, students in...
Three Challenges for the 40 Book Challenge
It’s interesting what gets adopted widely in education. Growth mind-set, for example, is almost an industry, with workbooks, posters, and computer software all designed to instill resilience in students. Yet...
Guided Reading Run Amok
“I don’t know what I’m doing wrong,” said Sharice. “I plan, reflect, and read. I watch videos on YouTube and Edutopia. I even tried filming myself and watching the videos....
Organizing for Middle School
Ask any middle school teacher what they hope to accomplish with their students every year, and you will likely find “organization” somewhere in their top five choices. Ask a sixth-grade...
Read Alouds to Start the Year in First Grade
The first weeks of school are like no other. The excitement, anticipation, and angst that comes with the first day is unmatched by any other time of year. As I...
Getting to Know Each Other Through the Work
It is the first full day of school. In my first class of the day, 31 seventh graders are staring at me and wondering what my social studies class is...
Doing the Writing in a Unit
It may seem simple to you, but every time I look at that shelf, I am filled with pride. The shelf hangs—perfectly straight at eye level in my bedroom. On...
Fall Fluster
I’ve been teaching for more than 20 years, yet I continue to be surprised by what I call the “fall fluster.” I spend my summer catching up on professional reading,...
Writing on Someone Else’s Topic
An email message in my inbox said, “Shari, can you write something about why it’s good for children to touch their foreheads? I think it has something to do with the...
Guiding Questions to Stay Grounded
I have 20 minutes to make it to my next meeting, I think to myself as I put my laptop away in my bag. I thank the teachers for their...
