The Winter Solstice is the time of ending and beginning, a powerful time — a time to contemplate your immortality. A time to forgive, to be forgiven, and to make a fresh start. A time to awaken. Frederick Lenz It isn’t always possible to create well-developed cross-curricular lessons based upon a single theme. Still, many … read more »
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 »
Family engagement and developing a partnership with parents is the keystone for a successful classroom. A student’s family is the most influential partner, and fostering meaningful relationships is paramount to student achievement. Authentic connections between schools and families require both parties to put forth their best efforts for success. The work is worth the reward. … read more »
Computational thinking (CT) is an essential set of skills required for success in the 21st Century. Wikipedia defines computational thinking as “a set of problem-solving methods that involve expressing problems and their solutions in ways that a computer could also execute.” The four problem-solving methods are problem decomposition, pattern recognition, abstraction, and algorithms. But what does … read more »
Each November, Americans celebrate Native American Heritage Month. It is a time to celebrate the culture and heritage along with the contributions of Native people. In addition, it is an opportunity to raise awareness of the real stories of Native Americans, not caricatures and stereotypes. A quick search of the TeachersFirst blog page finds many … read more »