I'm an instructor at UCLA's Graduate School of Education, a literacy specialist, and consulting online editor here at Edutopia. My primary area of interest is supporting all learners in our public schools.
Blog Posts
What's the opposite of scaffolding a lesson? It would be saying to students something like, "Read this nine-page science article, write a detailed essay on the topic it explores, and turn it in by Wednesday." Yikes -- no safety net, no parachute, no scaffolding -- just left blowing in the wind...
Read More.A recent survey found that a good number of teachers are concerned about resources -- or a lack of -- for struggling students and those...
Read More.Summative assessments, or high stakes tests and projects, are what the eagle eye of our profession is fixated on right now, so teachers often find themselves in the tough position of racing, racing, racing through curriculum.
Read More.Every Monday, my seventh grade English teacher would have us copy a list of 25 words she'd written on the board. We'd then look up the dictionary definitions and copy those down. For homework, we'd re-write each word seven times.
Read More.You mention to a fellow teacher during lunch or after a faculty meeting how far along you are in the curriculum and they respond, "Oh, I'm way past that." Gulp. Not what you were looking to hear, right?
Read More.I admit it. I allowed students to chew gum in class. Why? I chewed gum. I have a throat that tends to dry up mid-morning. Gum helps.
Read More.You are busy this summer planning and reworking lessons -- adding, adjusting, and tweaking. Here's something to think about, fast forward to fall: We know students do plenty of listening in our classes, but what about the other three communication skills they should be engaging in and practicing...
Read More.Budget cuts did not spare summer school. Along with furloughs, pay cuts, and layoffs, it's been canceled in some schools, even districts, across the country. Teachers working in these districts and schools are unable to rely on that additional, and often much needed paycheck. This definitely...
Read More.When I lesson plan with teachers, out of earshot from their fellow teachers and their principals, I can't tell you how often I'm asked, "what exactly does it look like?" when it comes to differentiated instruction.
Read More.A while back, I wrote a post about how a great school leader has the trust of those she leads. Here's a question for teachers: Do we have the trust of those we teach?
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