Third grade math word problems are no joke I’ve used these group response pages for reading plenty of times, so a couple of years ago I updated them to use with math. They are crucial for encouraging students to discuss their thinking. After demonstrating the process, I posted different problems around the classroom and assigned… Continue reading Math Problem Group Response Pages
It’s taken me over a decade, but I finally feel confident in my guided reading lessons. Over the years, I’ve done my own research on how to teach guided reading, and found varying and often contradictory information. I was especially interested in learning the best practice for teaching guided reading in the upper grades, since… Continue reading Guided Reading in the Upper Grades
I think we live in an amazing age where my students can come to school with 1:1 classrooms and, under adult supervision, access online learning through platforms like Google Classroom. But none of that is guaranteed for many kids once they leave school. We got the unexpected call yesterday that our school would be closed… Continue reading Remote Learning in a Digital Age without Digital Resources
I am fortunate to have a former student who is now in our high school intern with me for this spring semester. I decided to have her work with individual students who need more practice with fluency. But since she’s with me only every other day, I needed a way to have my students continue… Continue reading Fluency Self Check
We’ve been talking about genres for ages — okay, for three months, but who’s counting? Wait…me. I’m counting. — so it’s time for my students to begin identifying the genre of their independent reading books using these simple bookmarks! I plan on using them to track their 40 book requirement. I’ve tried everything else I… Continue reading Genre Bookmarks
Parent conferences are coming… The transition for our kids from second to third grade is challenging. The expectations increase as they move from learning how to read to reading to learn. We no longer test them on stories we’ve read together, but rather they must use the skills we’ve worked on all week and apply… Continue reading Reading at Home
Flexible seating options are not beneficial for every student. Yes, I went there. The term “flexible seating” has morphed into the idea that teachers must have fun and elaborate equipment like couches, cafe tables and stools. And many terrific teachers have struggled over the fact that those items are expensive, and so they’re convinced they… Continue reading Flexible Seating Options Don’t Benefit All Students
So often, when my students write, they expect to submit their initial piece as their final copy. This could be because they find the writing process tedious or boring, or because they truly don’t realize that writing is a process. In my previous post, I explained how I use my Planning Organizer to help… Continue reading The Writing Process in the LS Classroom – Part 3 of 5: ARMS
Students with reading disabilities tend to not read as much as their typically developing peers. That means that they don’t get exposed to the mentor texts that could potentially help them become better writers. This is one reason why I believe that even intermediate students should have opportunities to experience read-alouds. The benefit of… Continue reading The Writing Process in the LS Classroom – Part 2 of 5: Frameworks
I find the writing process to be one of the most difficult things to teach. Everything the student does in writing must come from his own thoughts and ideas. In math, there are a finite number of ways to get to the correct answer (and there’s always a correct answer), and I can guide… Continue reading The Writing Process in the LS Classroom – Part 1 of 5: Brainstorming
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