“When the cold manacles bit my wrists, I knew this was real; I didn’t run fast enough this time…” Reading Ric’s personal narrative – it was clear he was really writing a personal narrative. I had only been at this
“Tugging” to Impact Student Participation
“I usually feel like a submarine, but that doesn’t work in this class,” said with mixed humor and frustration. My sixth grade class was reading the novel Homecoming by Cynthia Voigt and we were at a point where Dicey, the
Learning from Anne Frank
“Ms G – did you know Miep Gies was real?” My first thought was, yes, you know we are reading the play based on the Diary of Anne Frank … which is real. My second thought was that I was
Constructed Response Writing Workshop: Learning from and with peers
“Well, we didn’t really address the question too good” – a statement by one of my 3rd graders as his group brought their poster paper to the front of the classroom. Trying to encourage my students to write well-crafted constructed
Relationships Aren’t Built Through Activities
When my friend and mentor invited me to write for 5 Star Teaching, I was perplexed. Specifically, she asked me to write about my experiences as a mentor to new teachers and now as a resource teacher to mentors. Me? What
In Her Words: Insights into the difference supported opportunity makes.
How do you light up a classroom? With Jenna’s* glow … the sparkle in her eyes … as she shares her passionate understanding. Passion is not a word usually associated with my shy, angry Jenna. Being raised by her grandmother,
A Learning Table that taught me
I’d heard, but hadn’t understood, that some students learn best through narrative structures … until the day I was trying to guide six off-task eighth grade boys through comprehension of an informational text. With the rest of the students reading
Bending the format of Socratic Seminar… and winning my students’ minds
“You know, Ms. G… this is like anger management therapy” My heart cringed, wondering where Will was going with his comment. A tall, lanky 8th grader, he was looked up to – in every sense of the word – by
You think I WANT to do research?
“You know, Ms. G, it’s a good thing this is my question, because if you had assigned it to me, I would have quit by now.” With those words, I knew I had found a way to make inquiry and
Getting them to read AND do homework? Wow!
Walking into my language arts classroom on the first day of school, I am greeted by the sight of seven young girls spattered through a sea of twenty-two boys. I realize this is not going to be a year to