Posts Tagged ‘Daring Greatly’
Creating Community
A few weekends back I went on my first women’s retreat. Even though it was to be held in Pinehurst on a gorgeous weekend, I felt quite a bit of anxiety before I left. Out of 60 women I would know 1 well, 3 sort of, and 56 little to none at all. This wasn’t…
Read MoreThe Ugly Duckling Syndrome
The story of the Ugly Duckling has always broken my heart. As a child, I just couldn’t bear to read how that poor little fledgling was teased and mistreated – and being one who cries at Hallmark commercials – I still have a hard time reading it to my students. Now I prefer to…
Read MoreBelonging: Books for Middle Schoolers
Coming to terms with your heritage, learning to love and trust someone else, and accepting others for who they are form the core themes of the middle school books listed below. You’ll learn to love these characters by looking at them through their eyes and the eyes of those around them. These books are a…
Read MoreOpening the Box
While attending a workshop recently I had a striking realization – you know – an educational epiphany. As I took part in a dyslexia simulation, I felt that terrible feeling in my gut that so many of our children feel every single day in our classrooms. My head was down and I was sneakily surveying…
Read MoreBooks About Belonging For Young Children
From home and family to school and peers, everyone needs to feel a sense of belonging. It’s a basic human need. The picture books and activities listed below help young children make sense of their worlds and see that we’re all different and that’s okay. All the World written by Liz Garten Scanlon; illustrated by…
Read MoreBelonging – When I Becomes We
“When ‘I’ is replaced by ‘We’ – even illness becomes wellness.” – Malcolm X My heart soared while watching the news the other day – and that rarely happens. In a sea of negativity, Mr. Barry White Jr. was a shining example of what is right with education. This remarkable fifth grade English teacher…
Read MoreLove the Message
There are many great authors and poet laureates whose words have stood the test of time, but for me the work of Dr. Seuss has had a lasting impact. At a time when children’s books were less than stellar, Theodor Seuss Geisel became a “tour de force” in literature for the young and the…
Read MoreFor the Love of Writing
One part of Writing Workshop that many of us have failed to follow through on is the sharing portion usually held at the end of the workshop. Many times we’re in such a rush to get on to the next subject that we leave it off. Some students are relieved while others are disappointed. There…
Read MoreLove These Organizational Writing Charts
Many people consider writing one of the hardest subjects to teach. Writing Workshop has released some teachers from the fear of teaching writing, but writing workshop has some problems of its own if we’re not careful. One of the biggest obstacles I hear teachers talk about is keeping up with who is doing what. I…
Read MorePassion for Perseverance
“If you can’t fly, then run. If you can’t run, then walk. If you can’t walk, then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.” – Dr. Martin Luther King I am a big ACC basketball fan and my all time favorite player is Michael Jordan. That man had a vertical…
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