Tag: teaching

Creative Vocabulary Strategies to Engage Students

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Some words feel wonderful in your mouth: benevolent, pashmina, Constantinople. They roll right off one’s tongue and into one’s imagination.  Words hold meaning and are the building blocks of all human thought. I marvel at students’ curiosity about words and how they often understand and use words far above their age and grade level.  One of my students was so enamored with geology and dinosaurs that his vocabulary in these areas far surpassed mine, allowing him to be my teacher, and I, his attentive student!  I believe that spark of curiosity and imagination in learning vocabulary ignites the power to explore a universe of ideas and concepts.   I've taken this first week of my summer vacation to reflect on the techniques I've used to support students' vocabulary development.

Working in the Wonder Studio: Crochet Student

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Last week, a small group of 5th graders decided they were going to teach me to crochet. I bought crochet hooks and yarn, and tried to remember this skill that I had learned in high school. High school was a very long time ago for me. I remembered nothing. I realized my hands aren't as dexterous as they once were. This crochet adventure was going to be an uphill climb. I needed a good teacher.

Three Pillars of Teaching: Heart, Creativity, and Connection

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This week, I was reminded that sometimes good things come in 3’s, and that connecting with students remains my main joy in life. There are three quotations at the end of each email I send.  They sum up my philosophy of teaching perfectly:  Educating the mind without educating the heart, is no education at all – Aristotle, Creativity is intelligence having fun – often attributed to Einstein but is not confirmed, and Difficult roads lead to beautiful destinations – Zig Ziglar, a motivational speaker.  I realize that these three pillars have been the foundation of how and why I continue to teach.

Champions of the Testing Season

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As a Learning Specialist, my job is to monitor and support learning in early childhood through fifth-grade classes. This is the place of my ultimate joy and satisfaction - seeing children grow, witnessing their struggles, and their hard-fought accomplishments. The daily struggles seem like small roadblocks to adults, but to children, struggles loom large. And if you have a learning difference, struggles can seem overwhelming. We do all in our power to motivate and encourage the young minds in our charge. Sometimes these efforts work right away, sometimes it takes a long time to see the fruits of our labor.

Put Learning in Their Hands

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I’m at a point in my life when I look back and reflect on my decisions, I think about all the steps (and missteps) I’ve made that brought me this far.  The one thing that stands out for me is how working with my hands has been a major theme throughout my childhood, teenage years, and all the decades of my adult life.

Write What You Notice

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I recently attended a teacher's workshop presented by Penny Kittle at Rutgers University sponsored by Rutgers Center for Literacy Development.  I've seen Penny many times. Usually, she talks to teachers about creating reading and writing workshop spaces in high school classes.  Penny was a high school English teacher in New Hampshire and her mentor was … Continue reading Write What You Notice