Infusing SEL Into Everyday Instruction

It is critical to teach students strategies to deal with emotions and interact respectfully with peers. As a father of six, life can be crazy. My wife, also a teacher, enjoys our bedtime routine of reading aloud to our children. Recently, we read Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes. Lilly brings a purple plastic … read more »

Storytelling and The National Day of Listening

November 27 is the National Day of Listening. Celebrated each year on the day after Thanksgiving, it’s a time to gather families and friends for the specific purpose of recording and sharing histories and stories for preservation. Launched in 2008 by StoryCorps (reviewed here), this observance falls at a time when many families are together, … read more »

10 Dictionaries That Enhance and Engage Students in Learning

Noah Webster is broadly considered to be the father of the American dictionary. In his honor, October 12 commemorates National Dictionary Day, his birthdate. This date marks learning and encourages readers to improve vocabulary. Most classrooms now rely on digital dictionaries to look up word meanings. Digital dictionaries are easy to use and provide information … read more »

6 Digital Methods for Math Storytelling Day

“Nothing sticks in your head better than a story. Stories can express the most complex ideas in the most digestible ways.” Sam Balter Mathematicians have used storytelling for centuries to engage their audiences and as a means for understanding math concepts. Likewise, educators have long known that sharing stories with math concepts integrated into them … read more »

Engage with World Refugee Day 2021 in Your Classroom

World Refugee Day is celebrated on June 20th. This year’s theme is “Together we heal, learn and, shine.” It was first celebrated in 2001 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and brings attention to the ongoing plight of refugees and what can be done to help … read more »