ELAsuccess
As you near the end of your school year, it’s more important than ever to change up how you review any of the skills you want your students to retain over the summer. If you’re using Shurley English, there are many ways to add a twist to almost
shurley english
If a teacher evaluation was optional, would you volunteer? I’m sure that many of you have already answered with an emphatic “no,” but you should probably reconsider. Why? Research consistently shows that effective teaching is the single most important factor contributing to student academic achievement. It’s such a
ELAsuccess
Mrs. Riddle, my sixth-grade teacher, is one of the reasons I became a teacher. I’ll never forget the year I was in her class; it was my final year as an elementary student. I have so many memories, like the day the total solar eclipse happened; it was so
Back-to-School
SPOILER ALERT: I’m going to get personal and invite you to ask yourself some tough questions. Stay with me. I promise you'll be glad you did! At a recent educator’s convention, I interacted with a parent and teacher who was searching for a Grammar and Writing
Let's Get Creative
As you approach the end of your instructional year, it’s time to pull out all the stops. It's a great time to reinforce the skills your students have learned throughout the year. Here are several cool ways to have some spelling fun: Idea #1: Let Your Fingers
ELAsuccess
Across the Curriculum activities are intended to be purposeful and meaningful, but coming up with a great idea that truly connects content can be tough. Today, let's explore an Across the Curriculum activity that you can utilize during your ELA block using Sentence Blueprints. What is a Sentence
ELAsuccess
Competent writing begins with understanding basic sentence structure. It's true! Today, let's talk specifically about the POWER of the adjective. Learning the Shurley English Adjective Jingle during Jingle Time is the first step to leaning about adjectives! The basic information recited explains (1) what an adjective
shurley english
Remember a day when you woke up on the wrong side of the bed, spilled your coffee on your way to work, your students ended up not being the angels you taught the previous day, and it was nowhere close to being Friday. Can you remember how you approached teaching
ELAsuccess
In a previous post, I shared my keen interest in Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences. I discussed how the Shurley English Jingles give the intelligences of Word Smarts, Picture Smarts, and Body Smarts a workout. Now, I would like to take it just a bit deeper into the next level in
ELAsuccess
If you understand every word in a text and still fail to understand what the text is all about, chances are you are having trouble with the idioms. This has happened to me on occasion, so my guess is that you’ve been in the same boat. Let’s attempt
In the Spotlight
I love it when parents want to help their children at home. This kind of attention and assistance can make all the difference. But what happens when the parent is not quite sure about your teaching methods, specifically the Shurley English approach to language arts? Not to worry! We have
public speaking
During the past 25 years, I have been presenting Shurley English to educators across the country. So, as a seasoned presenter, I sometimes forget how uncomfortable some people feel about speaking in front of a crowd. The very idea that someone would be that fearful of public speaking led me