sutton007

People all across the world are in mourning for those children and adults who were brutally shot on Friday, December 14th at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. The horrific tragedy is incomprehensible for us as adults, but for school children around the globe who have seen or heard about it, the news may be frightening.   Children may have seen the reports on the news or heard about it through hushed tones as adults speak to one another while trying to make sense.  The thought that their beloved school might not be safe could cause fear, anxiety or confusion or other emotions. How should teachers and parents help our children cope?  Students will most likely bring up the subject on Monday.  My 10 year olds will no doubt have questions or comments which they will not be afraid to voice.  I might ask the students what they know before discussing anything.  I will reassure them about the safeguards we have in place in our school.  S...

Being home sick is no longer an excuse to miss school!   Well, okay, it really is.  However, it doesn't mean you have to totally miss out with what is going on in your classroom.  With the right tool you can attend school even from home! Student skyping from iPad while Ranger Skypes Class Today, the fourth grade classes at our school participated in a skype call with Yellowstone National Park Ranger, Beth Taylor.   This pre-arranged call coincided with our study of another national park, Yosemite through the story, Letters Home from Yosemite , by Lisa Halvorsen. For weeks the anticipation of speaking to a real park ranger had been building .  One of my students, a nature and animal lover, asked me almost daily if 'today was the day'.  Well, today was the day, and as it turned out the nature and animal lover was unable to attend school due to an illness. Her genuine disappointment was evident through her mother's email as she shared her daughter's absence....

Last year around this time I was nominated in one of the Edublog Award categories. Although I was a bit disappointed that I was not nominated this year, I was surprised and honored to find that two separate educators selected my blog for the Liebster Award!  The Liebster Award is given by other bloggers to a blogger who has less than 200 followers.   In this way, their blogs will be shared.  Thank you to Stacy at What's New in Room 202 and to Dana at Live Learn Teach for Life ! The rules for the Liebster are as follows: 1. You must post 11 random things about yourself. 2. You must answer the questions that the nominator set for you.  3. You must create 11 new questions for the people you nominate. 4. You must choose 11 other blogs with fewer than 200 followers to nominate and link them in your post.  5. No tag backs to the blog that nominated you, but do leave a comment on their post with the URL of your Liebster post. Random Things About Me: Have ...