We are inundated with media messages – be it in traditional print formats or digital texts, images, videos, or advertising. As adults, we have the experience and ability to interpret and often ignore the constant barrage of information that confronts us. However, our students do not have the expertise to handle all the extraneous information … read more »
As an educator and a mom of a child with a processing disorder, the tech tool of the month has me giddy with excitement! How many times do we have texts that may be too challenging or wordy for our special needs students? SMMRY takes a longer passage and summarizes the key points in up … read more »
The start of the school years is a time to get to know our students. Perennial favorite activities other than “what I did on my summer vacation” essays are “all about me” assignments. As students take a look at their own lives, this is a perfect time to add biographies to your class lessons. Reading … read more »
Have you heard of the Social Learning Theory? Don’t worry, I’m not going to take you back to the intro to education classes you sat through in your college days and bore you with theoretical jargon. Rather, I am going to introduce you to a theory that I feel we must embrace as educators in the … read more »
“Amendment I: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” In these few, brief written words, the First Amendment protects so … read more »
Every summer around Independence Day, Benjamin Franklin and his importance to the birth of our nation are popular online searches. But many do not know that a quartet of women related to this founding father had useful, noteworthy lives themselves. We often hear little about the women who supported their more famous kin. Learning about … read more »
There are many little ways to enlarge your child’s world. Love of books is the best of all. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Did you know that August 9 is National Book Lover’s Day? I didn’t know it until just recently; however, it seems like a very worth celebration to enjoy. Of course, I also appreciate that … read more »
Summer officially begins on June 21 at 12:24 AM EST. Or does it? Ask your local weatherman and he will probably say that meteorological summer began on June 1. Both explanations, based on data and science, offer interesting opportunities for exploring weather and seasons through a different perspective. To understand the difference between the two … read more »
Several months back we began discussing research. Now, let’s take a look at the best resources that students and teachers can use to meet their information requirements. The research process begins with a motivation, either personal or external, such as a class assignment. The best class assignments are authentic tasks, problems the learner must solve doing real-life activities … read more »
Memorial Day, formerly known as Decoration Day, is the time when Americans honor and recognize people who died while serving our country in the armed forces. Although historians dispute the birthplace of Memorial Day we know it began after the Civil War. This tradition continues to be held the last Monday of each May as communities … read more »