Dear Teachers

From the desk of Hope… Dear Teachers, You Do Make a Difference! At times you may think the barriers are too big and the task is too large but the truth is, you have what it takes to make a difference. The size of the contribution is not what matters. We observe you daily seeking…

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Revisiting Touching the Soul of a Child

From the desk of Carol C. . . There was quite a bit of feedback from my post “Touching the Soul of a Child”.  A common question was “Do teachers still go above and beyond as this teacher did?”.  My answer is…Yes.  In this day and time for a multitude of reasons teachers may not…

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Touching the Soul of a Child

From the desk of Carol C. . . My friend is a voracious reader.  She reads, remembers, and seems to understand everything in print she comes across.  Her vocabulary is amazing.  Reading is her passion. Now go back 30 years and look at my friend.  She would have been in first grade.  It would be…

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Open the Gate

From the desk of Leigh Ann . . . I just finished reading an article that called math “the gatekeeper of success.”  Sounded a little scary to me, but got me thinking.  A lack of skill and confidence in math problem solving can affect the ability to make some critically important decisions.  Often when people…

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Changing My Mindset

From the desk of Carol C . . . A few weeks ago I had a conversation with a colleague, Katy, about what she did to make math so interesting for her students.  “Oh, I just let them play games,”  she replied tongue in cheek.  Well, I knew better than that. Katy is an excellent math teacher…

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What Reflective Teaching Looks Like…

From the couch of Monica… In my first contribution to the ERG blog, I wrote about reflective teaching and how true reflection transforms what we are able to accomplish in the classroom through our planning. Considering the 20 kiddos in front of me as a teacher, and balancing their need with the demands of the…

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Instruction Should Be Everyone’s Thing

From the Couch of Monica… Sometimes in education, in the day-to-day grind, we forget that reflection is a powerful starting point and an invaluable tool when we think about what kids need from us in the classroom. It is an easy thing to do these days, when there are many responsibilities and tasks imposed on…

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Reflect and Revitalize

          From the desk of Leigh Ann . . . Teaching can be an incredibly fulfilling and exhilarating experience, but it can also be one that leaves you feeling defeated and exhausted.  When you unwind and finally have time to reflect on your teaching day, where do your thoughts go?  Do…

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Creating Milestones

From the desk of Carol C… Most “impossible” goals can be met simply by breaking them down into bite size chunks, writing them down, believing them, and then going full speed ahead as if they were routine.            Don Lancaster   I want to be healthier, but it seems I can’t to do anything about it. …

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Self-Doubt – An Enemy of Learning

From the desk of Leigh Ann . . . I recently read an article discussing how the brain gives priority to our emotions and I have seen first-hand how children’s emotions affect their perception of school.  Emotion affects a child’s self-confidence and self-confidence affects whether a child learns to read, write, and problem solve.  Learning…

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