at school
I understand that getting parents involved in your classroom can be challenging for many teachers. And, when a school or teacher implements a new curriculum, especially as unique as Shurley English, many parents begin to make themselves heard. You’ve probably heard such comments as: “Why is my child chanting?
Let's Get Creative
The reinforcement of concepts can sometimes be a tedious task. Here is a great way to practice sentence building during center time: 1. Create a word-bank wall using any flat surface. (An old metal filing cabinet makes a great wall.) 2. Make labels for the parts of speech that you
In the Spotlight
Last week, I had the pleasure of teaching a struggling 8th grader how to classify a basic Pattern 1 sentence using the Shurley English Question & Answer Flow. After he silently reviewed the interesting process I lead him through and focused on the classified sentence, he proudly said, “It’s
ELAsuccess
A Special Word… This past Thanksgiving holiday offered me the chance to spend precious time with my dear ones, like many of you I suspect. What made this Thanksgiving so fun this year was getting to play with my soon-to-be 1-year-old grandson! We played with blocks and stuffed animals—complete
In the Spotlight
Now that you’ve given yourself permission to be human and let go of the challenges surrounding perfection in learning and teaching Shurley English, let me speak to you first-year Shurley users and teachers that are just simply struggling teaching the curriculum. Here are my Top 10 Tips to surviving
Let's Get Creative
It's always a great idea to have an activity on hand for days when reinforcement is needed. Here's a great activity to add to your toolbox: The Grammar Necklace. Supplies Needed: yarn, construction paper, markers, stapler or tape Assembly Instructions: 1. Fold a sheet of construction
ELAsuccess
Okay…so you want your kids to write detailed sentences, right? But, as the saying goes, “the devil is in the details” for most kids. Here’s a good way to help them strike a balance. For more expansive sentences, teach them to use the “Question Word” lineup in this
ELAsuccess
Learning is an amazing process that we often take for granted. We seldom stop to ponder just exactly “how” information travels through pathways in our brain to somehow successfully get coded and stored in our short-term or long-term memory bank. The journey is quite amazing, and I believe it’s
Holiday Lessons/Resources
‘Tis the season for trimming the tree, caroling, and holiday cards! I am one of those people who love to send and receive mail. I think I am a dying breed, but it gives me joy to create a holiday card and send it to my friends and family. Of
Holiday Lessons/Resources
Are there times when you wonder, “what is my child thinking?” Well, let me clarify... Are there times when you wonder, “what are my child’s thoughts on a particular topic.” (Yes, that’s better phrasing.) I find that this question usually hits me around the holidays. While the pageantry,
In the Spotlight
Being organized is a key ingredient to the writing process. It helps everyone stay focused and on-topic. I find that writing maps not only help my students accomplish this goal, but these planning tools also give them a great place to start. Recently, I had a teacher at a workshop
In the Spotlight
PERFECTION: the quality or state of being perfect: such as a. freedom from fault or defect: flawlessness That is how Merriam-Webster defines the word, perfection. In my experience training teachers across the USA, on how to implement Shurley English into their classrooms, I have noticed this one quality in many