Halloween Vocabulary Book Parade

My school holds an annual character book parade on Halloween. The premise sounds great, kids dress up like characters from a book, but something smelled fishy to me last year. Noticing that this was still a Halloween parade with a strained tie to some book, I knew we could create a stronger tribute for bibliophiles alike. Thanks to Debra Frasier, author of Miss Alaineus: A Vocabulary Disaster, we found a solution that is fun, cheap, and involves everyone!

Represent American Teachers in Japan

How could I not write about this unbelievable opportunity?  The government of Japan annually sends 400 educators a year to Japan under their teacher program, Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund. This really is a once in a lifetime opportunity that should not be missed.  I lived abroad for a while and love traveling, but this trip will never be topped. Never. Here is a short description of the program on the JFMF page:

Comprehending vs. Comprehension

For many adults growing up, reading focused on "proving" it after a book was finished. Sort of like an after-thought, "Did you get it?" was found through comprehension questions, book reports, or dioramas.

We are now fortunate to have resources, literature, and methodology to support assessing what a child is comprehending while they are reading. Learn how we can now combine the old with the new by addressing before, during, and after reading strategies.

Making Reading Real Through Reading Partnerships

My husband and I often find ourselves reading the same book (or shortly following each other). It is quite amusing to hear us debate the plot, meaning, or symbolism behind it all.

I plea, "But what does that mean? Is there really a tiger on the boat? I'm a little confused."

My husband knows more, but he shares what he wants with me. And so goes on a conversation about the book. So often his schema creates a widely different understanding than mine. And I like that. It makes me a stronger reader. So my goal is, how can I create this real-life reading approach for my students?

Stress Free Parent-Teacher Conferences

I can't be the only teacher that finds parent-teacher conference time stressful, right? Part of the stress comes from the fast pace, limited time, lack of food and restroom breaks, late evenings, and the worry that you may have an unhappy family member. This year I am taking several precautions to help ease the stress for my parents and myself. I am actually looking forward to my conferences this year and think parents will feel the same. Here are my before, during, and after conference tips:

Latitude/Longitude: Recess Treasure Hunting

Why teach latitude and longitude using paper and pencil when technology allows you to do so much more?  With a simple GPS device, turn your budding archaeologists into treasure hunters during their recess time.  The only requirement would be an understanding of latitude and longitude on your students’ parts, and one GPS device for your room.