This weekend I have been thinking a lot about how we as educators are teaching the history of protest in the United States, from the Boston Tea Party to the Women's March yesterday. Teaching in elementary schools for so long has taught me the value of visuals. Written primary sources are great, but they are … Continue reading Teaching Protest -#BLOG365 Day 134 #sschat #edchat
Education
Oh, #Homework… – #BLOG365 Day 131 #edchat #hacklearning
Oh homework, how we loathe you in my house. You take us away from family time and dinner conversations and walks around the neighborhood and play time and even recreational reading time. You invade car rides and take away sleep. You diminish social time with friends. You make us question participation in Boy Scouts … Continue reading Oh, #Homework… – #BLOG365 Day 131 #edchat #hacklearning
I Didn’t Have Time to Blog Because…-#BLOG365 Day 130
I was busy advocating for education. Calling senators and encouraging others to do the same. Although I have been working in private schools for a few years, my heart still lies with my public school educators and students. After all, we are all on the same team. So a few hours of my evening wasn't … Continue reading I Didn’t Have Time to Blog Because…-#BLOG365 Day 130
Museum Monday: Bottle Digging and Using Collections in the Classroom #sschat #museumed-#BLOG365 Day 130
This weekend I finally decided on a place for my grandmother's bottle collection. For two years the bottles have been packed away and I have been waiting to finish remodeling or find the perfect piece of furniture to display them (having my 3 cats in the back of my mind too!). Saturday we picked up … Continue reading Museum Monday: Bottle Digging and Using Collections in the Classroom #sschat #museumed-#BLOG365 Day 130
What’s It All For?- #BLOG365 Day 129
This article has been popping up all over social media. Poet: I can’t answer questions on Texas standardized tests about my own poems. I read this and didn't know whether to laugh or cry. The author writes: These test questions were just made up, and tragically, incomprehensibly, kids’ futures and the evaluations of their teachers … Continue reading What’s It All For?- #BLOG365 Day 129
#whereissasha Our Exam Crazed System – #BLOG365 Day 124
No surprise I am anti-exams. Exams don't give us a clear picture of student understanding. They don't prepare students for 21st century careers. They cause anxiety for our students. They encourage low level thinking and regurgitation. They don't encourage collaboration or creativity. Last night #whereissasha blew up on social media. The teacher in me knew … Continue reading #whereissasha Our Exam Crazed System – #BLOG365 Day 124
Hygge: The Educator’s Version -#BLOG365 Day 123
Hygge has been floating around lately and was recently named the 2016 Oxford Dictionary Word of the Year. According to Oxford hygge is: Southern Living explained it in their article Here's What 'Hygge' Means- And Why You Should Try It In essence, hygge is taking pleasure in the small things: time with friends, hot chocolate, getting … Continue reading Hygge: The Educator’s Version -#BLOG365 Day 123
Museum Monday: Salesman Samples- #BLOG365 Day 122 #sschat #objectbasedlearning
One of my favorite units at the museum school was a unit called "Everything Changes." The interdisciplinary unit covered changes over time. During this unit we often had the students create object timelines: a telephone through time, children's games over time, etc. Years and objects were combined to create visual timelines of how everyday objects … Continue reading Museum Monday: Salesman Samples- #BLOG365 Day 122 #sschat #objectbasedlearning
A Problem Party – #BLOG365 Day 120
I have been reading The Unstoppable Writing Teacher by Colleen Cruz. In the first chapter she writes about anticipating and solving problems in the classroom. She suggests "that you celebrate once you find the problem you will attack first." Yes, it's true, problems are opportunities. Wallowing in them doesn't help us. Attacking them, studying them, … Continue reading A Problem Party – #BLOG365 Day 120
Best Intentions – #BLOG365 Day 119
Yesterday I had the best of intentions. As I sat down for dinner I told my son, "I still need to blog today. I'll do it after your voice lessons." I watched a little television. I flipped through a few catalogs that came in the mail. I washed dishes and fixed coffee for the … Continue reading Best Intentions – #BLOG365 Day 119
Jill Cross 