Building Connections with EL Students

Andrea BitnerBlog, Connect Better, Engage Better

TL;DR: Build an “EL Family Wall” in your classroom. Build connections between your students. Create a bond and feeling of belonging in the classroom. Building Connections with EL Students Each day, I meet with 10 groups of EL students from grades 1-8.  One of their favorite weekly activities occurs every Tuesday: Voting Day!  We have three whiteboard “zones”: Zone 1, … Read More

“Tough” Love: The Risks, Rewards, and Resilience of Teaching At-Risk Kids

Andrea BitnerBlog, Connect Better, Engage Better, Manage Better

TL;DR: Working with at-risk students takes a desire to understand who they are. A revelation of working with at-risk students: They don’t mean it. They don’t see it and don’t realize what they are doing. Developmentally, they may not be able to see you. Ruby Payne’s book “A Framework for Understanding Poverty” helps us see “hidden rules” and how they … Read More

Connecting Our EL Students Across the Community

Andrea BitnerBlog, Connect Better, Differentiate Better, Engage Better, Lead Better

TL;DR: EL students can feel very isolated and overwhelmed in school. Bringing EL students together can help them feel less alone. As educators, we need to find ways to give them a sense of community. Connect the dots to see the bigger picture when connecting our EL students across the country. Connecting Our EL Students Across the Community: Flying Solo … Read More

Parent Teacher Conferences 101 Blog Series

Kari PitstickBlog, Connect Better, Engage Better, Manage Better

Parent Teacher Conferences 101 Blog Series In this blog series, you will learn effective strategies on how to prepare for parent teacher conferences this year, as well as tips for communicating with your EL parents! Consider how to involve student voice in the Parent-Teacher Conference process. Whether you are working within an extremely regimented schedule or are as free as … Read More