Using Interactive Read Alouds for More than Story Time

Reading aloud to your students is a classroom tradition. If you ask students what they remember most about their time with Mrs. So and So, chances are pretty good that the students will mention the books Mrs. So and So read to them. In surveys with teachers, sharing favorite books with students is often one of the top teacher loves. This classroom tradition is wonderful, but in this post, I'd like to share ways that interactive read alouds can be used for much more.

How Making Books in the Classroom Can Make Learning Stick

Research shows that hands-on learning helps increase student engagment and improves retention of the information learned. Kids love making things, and if you haven't made books with your students, then read on to learn tips to make them easy and fun. You can use student made books in all subjects to teach concepts and to make learning memorable, and I'm excited about how these paper bag books will make a difference with reading comprehension.

Why Cynthia Rylant is the PERFECT Author for Right NOW!

Of all the authors I love, there is one who has published a great collection of titles that I find work well from fall into winter. With themes of scarecrows, changes in the weather, life in the mountains, the Christmas holidays, and winter, you can weave in so many skills and writing options.

Cynthia Rylant's writing style works well for teaching author's craft, visualizing, point of view, imagery, drawing conclusions, making inferences, and finding text evidence to support thinking. Of course, her works also provide an excellent example for writing ideas, voice, and word choice, so they lend themselves well to persuasive, descriptive, and narrative writing. Today, I'd like to share the titles I like best and how I've used them.

How to Cultivate Curiosity in Five Simple Steps

Children are naturally curious, so why not tap into that curiosity to up your engagement? Cultivating curiosity not only drives kids to want to learn, but it also can lead kids to deeper reading, inquiry based learning, improved vocabulary, and a thirst to read more. In this post, I'll share with you five teacher tested methods that hook kids in.

5 Ways to Build Character in the Classroom

Cliques, bullying, and lying are just a few challenges teachers and parents work through with children. These problems can not only create drama in the classroom, but they can lead to longterms struggles for children. In fact, social interactions can make or break the school experience for kids. What can we do to make a difference? How can we turn things around when we see a need for social skills intervention? I am certainly not an expert in this field, but I believe we as classroom teachers and community leaders can support children with a few changes in our classroom routine.

Keeping Kids Motivated with Summer Reading Opportunities

Summer is just around the corner, and like many teachers, you may be thinking about ways to keep your students' skills up during those months while they are away from school. Or maybe you're a mom or dad who needs ideas to keep your little one busy. Never fear! I have a few ideas you might try out.