We teachers know that, when we haven’t fully planned the day’s lessons, our students act out! Oh, yes, it’s important to be fully planned for the day, and even more so at winter holiday time. The kids know that time off is approaching, so it’s hard for them to focus on school work. An engaging writing activity is a great way to keep the kids focused before vacation. With the writing process approach, the students can complete a different part of the writing project each day, leading up to a sharing day on that last day of school. The unique...
It’s November already! Halloween is over (boo-hoo!), and it’s time to think about Thanksgiving-themed lessons in early literacy. I love teaching gratitude—the state of mind that can turn around a sour mood or disappointed mindset. And I especially love introducing or reinforcing the idea of thankfulness to children, who are at the beginning of their lives. (more…)
When Thanksgiving is over, many children start thinking about the presents they want Santa to bring them at Christmas time. For teachers this presents a wonderful opportunity for an authentic writing activity—a letter to Santa. For years, I had my students write Dear Santa letters, but I hated encouraging that “gimme” attitude in children, so one year I decided to try something different. (more…)
We can become better teachers, colleagues, writers, and teacher entrepreneurs—better people—by practicing professional patience! Patience is a virtue. I can’t tell you how many times my mother told me that when I was a kid. As an adult, I’ve long been working on becoming more patient in my personal life. For example, I’ve gotten better about road rage, and if I’m stuck in a long line at the grocery store, I try to have a friendly conversation with the person standing next to me. But recently I’ve come to realize that I can be impatient in my professional life, as...
