Self-Reflection
Teachers Observing Teachers
“The most valuable resource that all teachers have is each other. Without collaboration our growth is limited to our own perspectives.” – Robert John Meehan More and more teachers and administrators are finding that peer observations are a form of collaborative professional development that truly delivers. A school culture that encourages and promotes this sharing of…
Read MoreNurturing the "Cognitive Enterprise" of Reading
Reading has been called a “cognitive enterprise” and it happens as a result of the connection between the reader and the text. – What do I visualize? What connections can I make? Does this make sense? – Successful readers monitor their reading, use strategies for understanding, and evaluate their efforts. To comprehend a text, a reader…
Read MoreAssessment – Feedback about Impact
“We should focus on the greatest source of variance that can make the difference – the teacher.” – John Hattie Typically we are asked to assess students and analyze how well they have done on a particular task. We view the outcome as a measure of how the child is progressing. Our schools are streaming…
Read More2 Teaching Tips for 2016
“Teachers need to be evaluators and activators.” – Professor John Hattie We hope the New Year finds you ready to step back into the classroom invigorated and energized. At ERG we believe effective teachers learn from their own teaching, so we would like to suggest two simple tips as you prepare to activate meaningful learning in…
Read MoreWhat's Your Best Lesson of 2015?
What comes to mind when you think back on your instruction in 2015? Would you say you played it safe or you took risks? Did you try a strategy multiple times so you could tweak it or did you knock it out of the park on your first try? Whatever the lesson, it is worth…
Read MoreBegin with the End
As the fall semester unfolds, our lives at work and at home seem to become busier than ever. One way to keep the stress under control is to be very well planned. At home, this may mean having a calendar that includes all family activities and obligations so due dates are met and events are…
Read MoreSummer Love List
From the desk of Alice… The season of summer is upon us. Thank goodness. In her book, The Happiness Project, Gretchen Rubin reminds us “It’s about living in the moment and appreciating the smallest things. Surrounding yourself with the things that inspire you and letting go of the obsessions that want to take over your mind.…
Read MoreMaking Feedback Meaningful
From the desk of Carol C. . . “We all need people who will give us feedback. That’s how we improve.”- Bill Gates “Please help us serve you better. This survey will only take a few minutes, but it will tell us how to improve. Please give us your opinion.” Everywhere we seem to be inundated…
Read MoreEnthusiasm + Passion = Energy
From the desk of Leigh Ann . . . “Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.” – Oprah Winfrey This month’s focus at ERG is Enthusiasm, so I traced the etymology of the word and found it comes from the Greek meaning “divine inspiration.” Cool, huh? I think one…
Read MoreStop Talking…Please
“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” Walt Disney From the desk of Carol C. . . Recently my friend, Susan, asked me to dinner. She had invited another friend of hers, too…a person I hadn’t met before. Her friend was pleasant, and I found her stories of traveling interesting. …
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