Classroom Chatter is a Good Thing
Recently I was teaching Writers’ Workshop to fourth and fifth graders and when I asked them what went well, I was baffled by a student who said “we were quiet!”…
Screencasting in the Classroom
With so much buzz around flipped classrooms, meeting individualized needs, and including parents as partners, why not screencast? Screencasting, recording the action that takes place on the computer screen with…
Escaping Reality for the Weekend
We all need a break now and then, so when Melissa asked me to join her and her husband on a trip to Rockport, TX for Labor Day weekend I…
Encouraging Readers
As a mom of three boys, a teacher to many students, and an educator of educators, I am constantly battling questions about students’ reading levels. Teachers also frequently ask questions like how many…
Personal Narratives in Middle School
** Contact us if you would like Rogers Education Consulting to bring an engaging, hands-on, and evidence-based Writers’ Workshop session to your campus ** Last week I was so…
Growing Readers in Middle School
This month I was hired to do the best job imaginable, model a Readers’ Workshop. At the end of March I took a whole cart of great fiction (mostly off…
The Necessity of Historical Pictures
A teaching moment that I will never forget is back in 2008 teaching United States History to fifth graders. We were on our second day of Roanoke. The kids were…
4 Songs for Teaching Confidence and Self-Worth
I am a true believer in using music and song lyrics in the classroom. Students are naturally captivated by music, so why not go there? It’s difficult to find music…
The Importance of Book Talks
open book by shyfoxling Last week I was reminded of the importance of book talks. I was visiting a classroom of middle school students who struggle…