Journaling is a great way to get kids writing about the world around them. As some really good teachers know, using journals is also a great way to keep track of student progress and prompt creative thinking. Two of our favorite ideas for journal success come from Joy in Walnutport, PA and Jeanna in Houston,…
Express Yourself! Encouraging Kids to Be Themselves
If you watch any of the popular television shows that depict life in public schools, you might get the impression that the hallways are filled with students singing and parading around with clear ideas of who they are. As any teacher knows, most students are far removed from the Glee model of student life and…
Inspiring and Motivating Student Writers
We have talked extensively about finding ways to engage our students as readers, mathematicians, scientists, and explorers. Writing is naturally woven into those roles that students take on, but do those activities truly prepare them to become writers? As teachers, we must look beyond the dry list of objectives that must be met and embrace…