SHU Reads the World

 In the text Read the World by Ziemke & Muhtaris, the authors emphasize the importance of evaluating classroom libraries, read alouds, content-area texts and primary sources if we are going to truly teach empathy and action in a digital age.  One suggestion from the authors on how to do this is to have students create a Padlet on stories they might be missing in their classroom and school. As a Reading Coach, I find tools like this one useful to share with classroom teachers to help support them in creating a student-centered learning environment that promotes independence.    Two of the seven most important structures the authors point out are having a clear focus on students and student independence.  As a Reading Specialist, whether coaching teachers or students, these structures hold true.  There are a plethora of reading assessments at our finger tips, and just like technology, we use these tools to help provide our students with the skills they ne...

Managing Your Digital Classroom                    From my experience on this journey to become a teacher I have realized that schooling can really only prepare you for so much. As much as I feel confidence in areas that were taught to us in courses and implementing instruction, class room management is a whole different beast. There is no amount of training or hypothetical practice can prepare you for what happens inside the classroom. Classroom management is skill that can, in my opinion, always seek improvement. Your management style might have to change yearly depending on what works for the specific group of students or it might be a series of trail and error throughout the year. Either way, it's important to prioritize finding classroom management strategies that work to help foster a healthy and effective learning environment for all.  "Effective teaching and learning cannot take place in a poorly managed classroom. If s...

           Are you looking for ways to motivate your students to read over the summer?  Well, you are not alone! People might think that a teacher's job is done the last week of school. However, teachers know that we have one final important lesson to teach. That is, the lifelong lesson that reading and writing are good habits to have ALL of the time, not just while school is in session. You have all heard of the phrase "summer slide": when students experience a decline in their reading level because they have not been practicing reading all summer long.                                                                                                summer slide  video Teachers w...

Eyes closing, noise fading, head bobbing... we've all had those days when the desk we sat in nearly became our pillow. Whether it was the morning after a long night of studying or a boring lecture, you know what it's like forcing your eyelids to stay open when they feel 100 pounds. Staying active has always been a huge part of my life. It keeps me sane, healthy, and refreshed. I started playing sports at just 5 years old, as a child I could not stay still. I tried ballet but was removed from the class for doing cartwheels and forward rolls across the floor. It was evident, I was not meant for anything elegant or slow. My father constantly said, "patience is a virtue," as I struggled sitting still and waiting for anything to come my way. In the classroom you could find me tapping my foot, rocking in my chair, or staring out the window (a teacher's nightmare)! I "transitioned" from my desk to the rug usually twirling, skipping, or leaping. The miniature br...

  We all have that one coworker that comes to mind when you think of a model teacher. She’s always seeking out professional development opportunities, she keeps her team on track with deadlines, and she does the most for her students. While my teaching career has just begun, I have already had the pleasure to work with multiple teachers that inspire me every day.  This brings me to a story from my student teaching days. It was my junior year of undergrad, and my mentor teacher for my placement that semester was an absolute teacher rock star. She had been teaching for over 20 years and was still coming to school every day with the energy and passion of a brand new teacher. I remember talking to her about her teaching career, and she mentioned how she had thought of trying to become an administrator, but she never ended up going through with it. I told her that I thought she should still try to do it, as I could see her being an amazing superintendent.  She casually brushed...

 Digital Notebooks: Using Technology to Support Learning in a Virtual World Shawna Zeisner      This past school year has been a monumental year for trying - and sometimes failing - to find ways to make learning work in a virtual world. As an intern, I’ve explored many different educational strategies both through classroom coverages and in my grad school classes. One tool that I’ve had great success with is Google Notebooks, or digital notebooks. I learned about it at SHU, tested it out in a first grade class, and discovered how beneficial Google Notebooks can be in supporting learning for both in-person and online learners. Digital, interactive notebooks have also been shown to "boost their engagement" (Edutopia). Read on to learn more about Google Notebooks, and explore some helpful tips for making them work in your classroom! “The idea: a central space where students can create, write and make meaning” (DitchThatTextbook). What is a Digital Notebook?   ...