There are many tools out there for students who struggle with reading. There were several I gathered at TCEA 2019 this year, and I have been meaning to share a curated list. Here is a quick rundown (a big thanks to Leslie Fisher, who demonstrated these in her multiple sessions): Immersive Reader – Microsoft offers … Read more
One of the funniest writing professional developments I ever attended included a live demonstration of the teacher following written instructions for making a Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich. By following only the instructions on the paper, the teacher ended up making a huge mess. The point was to show that we often forget some important … Read more
Dave Eggers, award-winning author of books such as A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, explains in his 2008 TED Talk, “Once Upon a School,” how he conceived the idea of a tutoring and creative writing center that would be part of the community, a place that would offer one-on-one help to the students in the area with … Read more
UPDATE 3/22/2022: For a list of over 50 Poetry Activities, see this collection! I also have a special collection on Amanda Gorman! April is National Poetry Month. Here are a few poetry activities I’ve done in the past that I felt were really worthwhile: Parallel Poetry Blackout Poetry Poetry Pairing Interactive Onomatopeia Interactive Bulletin Board … Read more
thinkLaw is a curriculum that aims to teach critical thinking skills through the use of real legal cases. The program’s founder, Colin Seale, won the “Shark Tank One Day Challenge” in 2016. thinkLaw is aligned with US standards for grades 5-12, but some of the lessons can be used with younger students. To purchase the … Read more
It is not uncommon for GT students to dislike writing. I was intrigued recently when I saw the article, “Why Do So Many Gifted and Talented Children Hate to Write?” Although the article does not give any scientific evidence, it does suggest that it can sometimes be difficult for gifted students to gather thoughts that … Read more