As a fan of TweenTribune for my middle school students, I am happy to report that a similar site is now available for teens. TeenTribune is composed of news articles on topics of interest to teenagers and may be a bit longer than those for their younger counterparts. This is a great way to get [...]
Entries from September 28th, 2010
Class Policies as Idioms
September 20th, 2010 · 4 Comments · reading and technology
Ever year I puzzle over how to teach all the things I want my students to learn. I seek ways to teach indirectly through exposure or to incorporate teaching/learning into multiple activities. This year I decided to write some class guidelines and policies by using idioms. Almost all my students remember the Amelia Bedelia books [...]
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Metaphor’s Influence in Our Lives
September 18th, 2010 · No Comments · education issues
James Geary’s TED Talk illustrates how metaphor is not just a literary technique but a way of thinking that influences all aspects of our lives.
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Fairy Tales and Wordle
September 12th, 2010 · No Comments · reading and technology
Our culture frequently alludes to phrases, plot segments, and themes from literature, fairy tales, and movies. Students who do not possess the needed background knowledge for these allusions are unable to comprehend what is meant. References such as “looking for the golden egg” or “Toto, we aren’t in Kansas anymore” are puzzling if one doesn’t [...]
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Community of Respect
September 3rd, 2010 · No Comments · education issues
The school in which I work has had an anti-bullying/harassment initiative for four years. We have had teacher education, parent education, student education, entertaining and informative assemblies, advisory group discussions, informative and provocative videos, Days of Respect and much more. Recently, Massachusetts passed new anti-bullying legislation partly due to two tragic cases of bullying that [...]
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