Hello, friends! We've all seen the posts and the memes: "Teachers Are Rock Stars!" "I'm a Teacher; What's Your Superpower?" But do any of us ever really feel like "rock stars" or superheroes? I know I don't. Like, ever. That's why I want to do a giveaway for Teacher Appreciation Week that just celebrates teachers for… Continue reading Teacher Appreciation Week Giveaway!
Tag: teaching
These Lessons Are Good. But They’re Not Enough.
Over the past several weeks, my colleague and I have engaged our fifth and sixth grade students in an inquiry about "single stories" and stereotypes with a particular focus on race, gender, and ability. This isn't our first time facilitating such an inquiry; earlier in the year, she and I engaged a different group of… Continue reading These Lessons Are Good. But They’re Not Enough.
[REPOST]: Mentoring New Teachers Podcast–Episode 2
[REPOSTED from http://blog.stenhouse.com/] We continue our podcast series with Stenhouse author Shawna Coppola and kindergarten teacher Laura, who is in her first year of teaching. In this episode, they tackle behavior charts and social-emotional learning. Mentoring New Teachers Podcast – Episode II: Social-Emotional Learning By Shawna Coppola In the first episode of our podcast focusing on mentoring new… Continue reading [REPOST]: Mentoring New Teachers Podcast–Episode 2
[REPOST]: Mentoring New Teachers Podcast-Episode 1
[REPOSTED from http://blog.stenhouse.com/] Mentoring New Teachers Podcast-Episode 1 By Shawna Coppola When Stenhouse asked me if I wanted to mentor a new teacher through her first year and record the experience for posterity, I barely took a breath before saying yes. As someone who has taught for nearly two decades, I still feel the desire to… Continue reading [REPOST]: Mentoring New Teachers Podcast-Episode 1
New Comic: Valentines for Teachers
Happy Valentines Day, loyal readers! As a gift to you and a thank you for following my blog, I made a special digital comic that I hope many of you will relate to and get a little giggle from. (If you’re anything like me, V-Day is “just another day” of us slugging toward our ultimate… Continue reading New Comic: Valentines for Teachers
The Question of the Day: Not Just for Primary Classrooms
In many primary classrooms I've visited, the Question of the Day (QoD) is as much a part of the daily routine as is morning meeting, read aloud, and unabashed nose-picking. (I kid. Not really.) On websites such as Pinterest and Teachers Pay Teachers, the QoD is as benign and as devoid of substance as a… Continue reading The Question of the Day: Not Just for Primary Classrooms
A Collection of My Latest Comics for Your Reading Pleasure, Vol. 1
I wanted to publish a blog post before the new year so that y'all could see how COOL it is when WordPress makes everyone's blog "snow" when you visit it. (*insert heart eyes emoji*) ALSO, I've published several comics lately independent of this blog, and wanted you to be able to find them all in… Continue reading A Collection of My Latest Comics for Your Reading Pleasure, Vol. 1
Your New Favorite Form of Writing, Revealed
If you, like me, have ever clicked on a social media post with a headline that reads, "5 Reasons Your Eyes Are Puffy," "10 Ways to Look Less Like a Frumpy Mom" or "50 Times Judge Judy Proved She's Our Bae," you've engaged with a form of writing that can be found virtually everywhere these… Continue reading Your New Favorite Form of Writing, Revealed
What It Means to “Write”–and What We Teach Students
Here's a quick exercise for you. Take a few minutes to write, sketch, doodle, or jot your answer to the question, "What does it mean to write?" Think about what we mean--what we really mean--when we refer to this act of writing. Next, take a moment to jot down the writing units you teach, have taught in… Continue reading What It Means to “Write”–and What We Teach Students
How Teachers REALLY Prepare for Back-To-School
Back in July, at the International Literacy Association's Annual Conference in Orlando, I was asked by my friends at Stenhouse Publishers how, as an educator, I prepared myself to go back to school each year. I was being filmed for promotional purposes that particular afternoon, and, not having had much time to prepare my answer or even… Continue reading How Teachers REALLY Prepare for Back-To-School
My So-Called Literacy Life 