sutton007

How does one decide that they want to change the world?   Especially when that "one" is an elementary student.  Is she sitting in class one day daydreaming and thinkng “Hey, I think I’ll save the rainforests?”  Or is she eating dinner one night and say to a parent, “Hey, I think I’ll save the whales?” Whatever it is that drives an individual or group of individuals to go beyond the scope of their own small universe, it doesn’t really matter.  All that matters is that they want to make a ‘difference’ (just like the star thrower in Loren Eiseley’s inspirational story .   It intrigues me more when I hear about young people who set out to change the world.  From a young girl selling lemonade to raise money to find a cure for neuroblastoma to a  young man inventing a fool-proof communication device for people who are blind, there are children who don’t realize how their efforts are far-reaching. Just recently three students at our school decided...

Go ahead and ask my kids!   They'd tell you that I would bring 'school' anywhere.  It just so happens that we are on vacation and indeed school is in session!  Ski school that is....well, really Boarding School. Well, really...we're just snowboarding and skiing!  And I didn't bring 'school' here I just brought the kids to the mountain and the lessons are here waiting to be discovered!     Okay - so what I mean is that there are ample opportunities for the kids to learn even while they are snowboarding. Take a look at a few of our lessons today. Lesson 1: Elapsed Time!  What time will you need to wake up if it takes 40 minutes to get to the mountain? Make sure you plan to give yourself time for a 10 minute shower each (so multiply by 3) and grab a quick breakfast.  We need to arrive by 8:30 so you might need to work backwards.  ( Elapsed time practice for kids ). Lesson 2:  Money! (at the ticket window)  Throughout the d...

It’s a question I hear at ALL parent teacher conferences: What can I do to get my child to love to read?    Or What can I do to get my child to read?  These are also questions that educators wrestle with as well. As a teacher and parent I am still plagued by these questions as there are no definitive answers.  However, there are some steps that we as educators and parents can take to aid in the love of reading.  Be a Role Model: This is a tip from an article, How to Get Your Child to Love Reading .   Children follow their parents’ lead.  If they see their parents reading they in turn, are likely to read.  If watching TV is the preferred activity of parents, then children are likely to fall into that habit.   Likewise, children follow their teacher’s lead.  When the students are reading during DEAR time, why not read a book along with them.  Share something funny or unusual from a story you are reading.  Kid...

photo © 2005 Silvers Family | more info (via: Wylio ) It's the age old question: Will we have 6 more weeks of winter? The only one that truly is equipped to deal with that is Punxsatawney Phil the Groundhog from Pennsylvania... ! Every February 2nd before sunrise Phil is brought out from his home at Gobblers Knob in Punxsatawney PA, to determine if he 'sees' his shadow. If he sees his shadow there will be six more weeks of winter . No shadow means ...Spring is around the corner. Groundhog Day - February 2nd - holds fascination for many... especially children. Here is some information and activities for those interested in Groundhogs and Groundhog Day! The Official Groundhog Club Site: Here you can find information about the history of Phil, past predictions and fun facts. Hoghaven: Here you can listen to sounds of groundhogs. Kaboose: This page gives craft directions to make a felt portrait of Phil. Primary Games : Interactive games such as a Word S...

photo © 2008 Chris connelly | more info (via: Wylio )   “It ain’t over til it’s over” was the phrase coined by Yogi Berra .  Spoken like a true sportsman or classroom teacher!   We all know that even when the kids have finished reading a story they’re “ not really done ”.  We read. We discuss. We assess.  There are all kinds of other activities that we can initiate to make sure the students have made connections to their reading.  This is Part 3 in the "Activating Prior Knowledge" series.  In the Before reading post, it was suggested to use an Anticipation Guide .  If used, it would be a great (quick) assessment to see if the kids can answer those questions correctly now .  (They love getting them all right too!!).  Also, in the Before post as an alternative to the KWL chart - a Word Cloud was suggested.  How about make a new word cloud to share what was learned.  (The kids love comparing them!) ...