TL;DR: Assigned summer reading is beneficial for students as it promotes continuous learning, enhances vocabulary and language skills, fosters critical thinking, boosts creativity and imagination, and cultivates empathy and understanding. It prevents the “summer slide” and helps students perform better academically when they return to school. Reading during the summer expands knowledge, broadens horizons, and encourages a lifelong love for … Read More
Connecting Your Class with Authors
TL;DR: Virtual learning led to decreased student motivation, prompting the need for engaging and meaningful activities. Using picture books and connecting with authors proved effective in fostering social-emotional learning and motivation. Strategies such as utilizing social media, attending author book signings, and exploring author websites facilitated connections and sparked students’ interest in writing and reading. After several weeks of virtual … Read More
Balancing Book Bans
TL;DR: Book bans pose challenges for teachers, requiring them to navigate policies and laws while balancing their responsibilities to students. Teachers should familiarize themselves with school policies and relevant laws to understand their options and responsibilities when facing a book ban. Staying informed about current events and book ban developments, preparing alternative materials, advocating for students, and using book bans … Read More
Reading Mastery Grid Tips & Tricks
TL;DR: When creating a reading grid, consider how the reading will be done: independently, whole class, etc. Focus on standards, not stories. Consider multiple resources/texts. Provide a pathway forward. Increase complexity while students read. Making a Grid Just in case you’re not familiar, The Grid Method is a self-paced mastery framework where the teacher creates a learning pathway in the … Read More
Episode #27: Danny Brassell
Affectionately known as “Jim Carrey with a Ph.D.,” Dr. Danny Brassell (www.DannyBrassell.com) has held a variety of titles and worked with leaders from a variety of fields and disciplines, but he has always considered himself first and foremost a teacher. He is a best-selling author of 16 books, including Leadership Begins with Motivation and The Reading Makeover, based on his … Read More