It’s one of the hardest things to navigate as a reading teacher. What do you do when kids can’t remember what they read? Especially if they’re reading a book you’re not familiar with? These tips will help! It’s one of my least favorite experiences as a classroom teacher … trying to get answers from a student about the chapter book s/he read – only to get blank stares or a…
40 Black history books for kids
Today I’m sharing a huge list of our favorite black history books for kids! (This post contains affiliate links.) Do your kids encounter a lot of racial diversity? We live near a major American city, full of people of all races. But our own little suburb is mostly white. Unless we go shopping, my children don’t encounter a lot of faces different from their own during the school week. I can’t…
5 Ways to get your kids to love math (even if you don’t!)
How can we help kids love math … even when we don’t? Here are five tips! I still remember standing beside my fourth grade teacher’s desk, overwhelmed with tears and quite sure the world was over. How on earth was I supposed to make sense of all these numbers? How could I remember where to put them, what to do next, and how to keep it all straight? My kind teacher…
The best activity books for kids (plus a giveaway!)
Are you looking for activity books for kids? Here are the very best! What are your feelings about long trips with kids? We’ve taken a few, and I’ve got to say that we can have a (mostly) enjoyable journey if we remember one thing. Be prepared. A number of years ago, we drove 16 hours to Virginia Beach. Five years ago, we traveled by plane from America to Hong Kong. And…
How to help your students defeat writer’s block
Try these tips to help your students defeat writer’s block! (This post contains affiliate links.) So you’ve launched Writing Workshop. You’ve taught your students how to find their own writing ideas. Even if things aren’t quite smooth sailing, you’re on a good path. Teaching writing isn’t so hard after all! Until that dreaded day (which may in fact be the very first day) that a student has writer’s block. She may…
How to get kids to read more
Want to know how to get your kids to read more? Today we’re sharing five of our best tips! The field of education is rife with debate and disagreements, but we all agree on one thing. Kids need to read. A lot. The problem? A lot of things compete for our kids’ time. Playtime, sports practice, piano lessons, and even mealtime and homework can make it difficult for our kids to find…
10 Ways to help kids find their own writing topics
Kids can find their own writing topics! Here’s how. In my last post in this writing series, I wrote about why kids don’t need writing prompts. But we can’t just remove the prompts and tell the kids that they have to find their own writing ideas. They need support as they make the transition to independence. Here are some ways to help kids find their own writing topics. As always,…
Why kids don’t need writing prompts
If you’re looking for writing prompts for kids, I have something important to tell you: kids don’t need them! Here’s why. Do you remember creative writing in school? If your experience was anything like mine, you took out a notebook or piece of paper and looked up at the board for the day’s writing prompt. What is your happiest memory, and why? Imagine that you looked out your bedroom window…
10 Things you should know about teaching writing
Here are my top tips for teaching writing that every writing teacher should know. Are you familiar with the Writing Workshop? It’s a method of teaching based on this truth: Children learn to write well when they write frequently, for extended periods of time, on topics that matter to them. Not only do children learn to write well within the Writing Workshop, but they also learn to enjoy it!…
What is close reading?
Close reading is one of those big buzz words in literacy education. But what is close reading, anyway? This post will tell you exactly what it is, plus how to teach it! Have you heard the term close reading? If you’re not sure what it means, you’re in good company. Maybe this definition will help: “The primary objective of close reading is to afford students with the opportunity to assimilate new textual information…
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