The ability to work in collaboration with others is a foundational skill for student success, both in the classroom and in their future endeavors. In order to collaborate successfully, students must learn to respect the opinions of others, take responsibility for their share of the project, and learn to compromise. The benefits of incorporating this into […]
Reading Strategies
Poetry and the Four C’s: Critical Thinking
As educators, we know that students’ learning must adapt to accommodate our changing society. No longer can we simply teach “3Rs”: reading, writing, and ‘rithmetic. Our students must be thinkers, problem solvers, and innovators. For them to be these things, they need us to teach them the “4 Cs”: critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity. In honor […]
Book Review: XO, Ox A Love Story by Adam Rex
Why I Picked It Up: Title and author. Adam Rex has my same sense of humor – a little offbeat with a hint of snarky – which helps explain the title and cover. With a simple click, this one found its way into my Amazon cart. Why I Finished It: This is not your typical Valentine […]
Book Review: Whoosh!: Lonnie Johnson’s Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions, by Chris Barton
Why I Picked It Up: Woosh! was posted on a blog I follow. Unfortunately, I comb through about thirty blog posts a day and I don’t remember which one! However, it was posted and the cover caught my eye. So I tracked it down at our public library. Why I Finished It: As a mom of […]
Did You Know? Visualization with The New York Times
“A picture is worth a thousand words.” As educators, we know that to be true! It seems that our students remember much more of what we are teaching them if there is a powerful visual attached to it! Images can be used for many things in your classroom – initiating conversations and class discussions, sparking students’ […]
Book Review: Fletcher and the Falling Leaves, by Julia Rawlinson
Why I Picked It Up: In looking for a fun book about fall leaves to read in my science classroom (I LOVE the freedom and encouragement I receive to be transdisciplinary in my classroom!), several blogs I came across had listed this one in their “fall favorites” lists, and Amazon backed up the recommendation. The description sealed […]
