I Want To Be Subversive

What do you want your students to be able to do, not by the end of the year, but in 2026?

I love this woman. I want to be this teacher.

Dear Principal...

I have at least been blogging a little, telling Principals how wonderful I am, but would like to get back to reflecting and planning more, digging a little deeper once in a while. I blame Netflix (since I cannot possibly blame The Wife) for my dearth of writing as well as my expanded waistline -- can't snack while typing, can I?

Whiteboard Word Wall

Just an idea...

Word Wall, pref on a whiteboard but that large paper sheet would work too -- students add words, can add definitions, syn/ant, illustrations, draw arrows/bridges to connect to other words, list examples of use/quotes from text -- fic or nonfic. Can even add word/def in native lang for ELs.
When board/paper/space is full take a pic and add to a slide show (accessible thru Google docs?) for viewing/study/reference.

Hmmm... I think my sons need to work up an example of this. They love summer projects!

Reading for my GATE Cert. class sometimes leads to too many ideas/distractions, but I guess I'd rather be distracted by ideas than be bored and finish quickly.

notes, notes, everywhere...

...nor any thought to think?*

I'm always taking notes, most of which I never find/see/understand after the ink is dry. But just as I was wondering why in the world I bother to scribble all that, and after a week of checking blank or doodle-filled, hence useless, notebooks, something I had written weeks ago (and could not find for you now even if you offered cash) popped into my head. I realized that whether the student actually goes back and re-reads his/her notes or not, the very act of putting pencil (leaky pen, fluorescent highlighter, crayon crumb, whatever) to paper somehow reinforces the fact or idea in those growing, connection-building brains.
At least, I hope it does.

So how do I get the students to take better notes?
Pretty colored pens and post-it notes? Copying my example to the letter? Grade them hard if they do not take quality notes? Any suggestions?




*my apologies, Mr. Coleridge.

ReadWriteThink

great ideas and calendar of historical events at Read Write Think