In order to learn to read, students must have a balance between language comprehension and word recognition. Reading is about reading the word AND understanding its meaning. There is not always a 50/50 balance between these two vital pieces. Students in primary school will spend more time on word recognition, but both will still be […]
elementary
Retain New Information Longer
Teaching for Understanding “If I had a nickel …” is the overused phrase I fight the temptation to say out loud when teachers tell me that they just taught something and their students don’t remember. What actually comes out is usually along the lines of “don’t take it personally. Your students are not out to […]
Reading Strategy: Find the Main Idea
Importance The main idea is the central, or most important, idea in a paragraph or passage. Arguably, being able to identify the main idea is the most important skill for students when reading nonfiction, but it doesn’t stop there! Finding the main idea is only the first step in summarizing a text, and so being […]
Generic Asynchronous Sites for Elementary
We are actually face-to-face! It is really exciting that, after a year and a half, we can welcome students back in the classroom! That being said, we have parents who have chosen to remain virtual and some students who have to quarantine from time to time. Since these students will not get a WHOLE DAY […]
Writers’ Workshop: Show Don’t Tell
Every elementary Writers’ Workshop teacher has a go-to “Show, Don’t Tell” lesson in which students learn how to show or illustrate what is happening, instead of merely stating it. But do we ever have enough? Do the students ever master this highly important writing skill?? Exactly! So here is another lesson to add to your […]
Back to School Team Building Ideas
Similar & Unique. I have only done this activity with teachers in trainings, but it would definitely work in an upper elementary through secondary class setting. Each student will write three things they enjoy doing on a piece of paper without sharing. The first one should be something that a lot of other people probably […]
Readers’ Workshop: Managing Student Choice
As a Literacy Coach, I view my main job as getting kids to love reading. Here are some of my tricks!