#SOL
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What Went Well…What Didn’t Go Well..
What went well today in our classroom: Children sharing in jigsaw groups what they have been learning about one of the six regions of Canada. Children writing headlines (a visible thinking routine) to highlight something interesting or important about a region of Canada that someone else shared. Conversations around division: does the larger number always Read more
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Silent Writing Time – 5 minutes every day
Every day, at the beginning of writing workshop, we have a 5-minute silent writing time. Sometimes, I do a mini lesson first and sometimes, we just do 5 minutes of silent writing. Afterwards, the kids go off to work on their own writing projects. Most days I’ve given my students free reign about what they Read more
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Musings on a Tuesday Evening
I am caught between a rock and a hard place…of my own doing. I have made it my mission to say, “Yes. Then, let’s talk about how it went,” when students ask me, “Can I…” or “Am I allowed to…”(This last one really grates on me, for some reason. But that’s a post for another Read more
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Inquiry Teaching and Learning
When you hear the word inquiry what comes to mind? Do you envision kids studying abstract topics without teacher guidance? Do you imagine they are left “to figure it out” on their own? Do you picture a chaotic room where kids don’t know what to do? Or worse, do you think that the kids in Read more
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Stepping Back So We Can Move Forward
This afternoon didn’t go well. Here’s a list of reasons why: I wasn’t as prepared as I should have been. I had a headache that started in the morning and never went away. I was teaching something the kids weren’t ready to learn, at least not all of them and definitely not the way I Read more
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My Home Office
For most of my adult life I have been searching for the perfect home office. I know that sounds crazy, but if you’re a writer or a teacher or a reader, or any combination thereof, you will understand. Disclaimer: I also love office supplies. So, the perfect home office. You know the kind. Lots of Read more
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First Team Meeting of the Year
It’s funny how the weather changes right before school is scheduled to start. Or so it seems. The air is crisper and the temperature drops just enough, but not too much. Or so it seems. The sun sinks into the horizon just a little bit earlier. Just enough to tease you, but not enough that Read more
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August
The month of August is when teachers, in many places but not all, start the back-to-school countdown. If this is you, by this time of the year, you are probably gearing up to meet your new class of students or are participating in professional learning activities planned by your school or jurisdiction. And some, like Read more
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Two Changes for the Fall
At last night’s #TeachWrite monthly chat participants discussed ways to could keep a writing habit going when school starts up again in the fall. I know that for some of you, school has already started, but I’m still in summer mode. A couple of suggestions resonated with me and so I want to discuss them Read more
Elisa Waingort 