k-12 education
Who’s in Control? This is an important question…but, before I attempt to answer it, I should explain that I CAN’T answer this question for you. I can only answer it as it applies to me. As a former classroom teacher, it was a question I grappled with
adverbs
When my third graders were first learning the parts of speech, some of them would mix-up adverbs and adjectives. I found a great process that would move my students from definitions, through Bloom's Taxonomy, and towards application. Let me show you... Step 1: Definitions Remember, an adverb modifies
appositives
Appositives don’t have to be complicated. You just need to know (a) what they are, (b) how to punctuate them properly, and (c) how to use them to your advantage. When you understand these three things, you can use them any time they’re necessary in a competent and
Let's Get Creative
Anyone up for an out-of-the-box challenge? When I was a classroom teacher in the 90’s some of us teachers were in the business of creating student-led learning centers or stations for Math, Science, or Language Arts. I loved creating and hosting centers in my classroom because it gave my
ELA Success
Are your students ready for some ideas to jazz up their narrative writing pieces? With simple word-choice strategies during the revision process, the entire story can take a different shape. So, let's get started with some strategies and techniques you can use in the classroom to promote effective
strategies
When someone asks me to tell them about Shurley English in a nutshell, I still experience a nanosecond of wondering where to begin. I mean, hey, it’s no easy task to capture the unique features of the curriculum and explain how they help students make the language arts connection
ELA Success
Did you know that there is more than one way to be smart? According to theorists, educational psychologists, and professors, such as Howard Gardner, Carol Dweck, and Thomas Armstrong, evidence suggests they’re right. Howard Gardner developed the Multiple Intelligences (MI) theory about 35 years ago. I stumbled upon his
ELA Success
Subject-verb agreement refers to the special way in which a subject and verb work together to make a sentence correct. Basically, the two must agree in number. For example, if the subject is singular, the verb must be singular. If the subject is plural, the verb must be plural. Without
ELA Success
Do you have some primary students who still have difficulty identifying adverbs? Not to worry! Our Adverb Jingle helps students learn not only the definition of an adverb, but also the three initial questions to ask when finding adverbs: How? When? Where? (Don't have our ELA jingles? Here&
at school
Bullying remains a serious problem in schools across America even though anti-bullying laws and/or policies to prevent bullying and protect children are enacted in every state. Recent studies suggest that rates of bullying may be on the decline, but according to the National Center for Education Statistics, nearly a
ELA Success
Words, Words, Words…what are they all for? I’d like to invite you to reflect on your early learning years as a young child and remember what it might have been like before you knew about sentences, paragraphs, or reports. If you find this to be challenging, then catch
ELA Success
In the world of technology, reverse engineering is a slippery slope, as any technology patent office will tell you. But, in Shurley English, we feature a clever type of reverse engineering that can be groundbreaking for reluctant writers. In Shurley English, we make it our goal to help students understand