Tag Archives: language arts

Encouraging Signs

It all started with a super-cute dog video. (Go ahead and watch. it’s only about a minute long.) And then a question. “Is this language?” Boy oh boy, did THAT ever stir up conversation. For me, as a teacher, this could not POSSIBLY have gone any better. I wanted students to be engaged from theContinue reading “Encouraging Signs”

Stepping Back Up to the Soapbox

I have a lot of soapboxes to stand on when it comes to education. I mean…c’mon. Just look at the name of my site. It’s easy to get riled up about things when you feel as passionately I do about teaching, when you have as much faith in public schooling as I do. One ofContinue reading “Stepping Back Up to the Soapbox”

Poetry, Found

If you had asked me today whether or not writing poetry should be on my to-do list, I might have laughed at you. But knowing that the universe has a way of conspiring, and knowing that grocery list poetry is a thing in this world, I felt compelled. What I loved were the ways thisContinue reading “Poetry, Found”

Sometimes Things Go Well

Sometimes I just need to take a moment. There are sometimes days when lesson after lesson goes haywire, when I don’t have the materials I need at the school I need them. Or when technology throws a wrench in my best-laid plans. Or when all of these things work, but the kids just. Aren’t. FeelingContinue reading “Sometimes Things Go Well”

Troubleshooting: Questions Edition

It started out easy enough. My second graders were sharing the questions they had written with one another, and to promote supportive listening I had the kids nominate strong questions for a light-hearted “awards” ceremony. Our “Questies” consisted of 3 categories:*Questions we’re most curious to find the answer to*Big questions, that nobody really has theContinue reading “Troubleshooting: Questions Edition”

March: Blowing in Like a Poem

So many little miracles happened for me today. I got a hug from a reserved second grader. A tricky third grade class was beautifully behaved. And this morning the world brought me a seed for a poem, which I carried in my pocket and thought about through the morning. And when my fifth graders heldContinue reading “March: Blowing in Like a Poem”

Ah, Fiction! We meet again.

I have a confession to make. I have not written fiction in…I cannot remember how long. There’s just something about writing fiction that stops me in my tracks. I don’t know what it is. Personal narrative? Poetry? Essay? I’m all in. Fiction? Move it along, nothing to see here. I’ve tried countless times, with stops andContinue reading “Ah, Fiction! We meet again.”

Right Poem, Wrong Assignment

Today I had my fourth graders write about something small, taken for granted, or unappreciated. We started with a poem I wrote and shared about lowly feet. Then it was time for the kids and me to get cracking. I meant to do the assignment along with them. I really did. But I couldn’t thinkContinue reading “Right Poem, Wrong Assignment”

Going with Plan B

I wasn’t going to have them watch it. As part of my daily blogroll, I came across the wordless animated short “How to Wait for a Very Long Time,” and the first thing I thought as I looked at the title was, “This will be a quick way to teach my kids patience and persistence.” AndContinue reading “Going with Plan B”