In the Spotlight
Do you have some students who continually struggle with organizing their assignments, their folders, their personal desk area, and just generally need some extra incentives to be ready for school obligations? It may benefit them, and you, to lead a lesson in study skills. A Study Skills Unit should give
Holiday Lessons/Resources
During the first few days of January, many people across the globe participate in the age-old tradition of writing a New Year’s Resolution. The custom of making a promise to do something differently to improve one’s life (mind, body, & soul) in the coming year has been going
Let's Get Creative
For some people, writing is an arduous task. They would rather do anything but pay attention to and analyze words—especially when they are writing. But, it is possible to help writers learn how to analyze words in a fun way, intentionally, and with a goal in mind…being specific.
Holiday Lessons/Resources
As a classroom teacher, returning from holiday break was always bittersweet. On one hand, I knew the pressure for “test prep” would be more intense, but on the other hand, the satisfaction of witnessing my students grow into wiser beings put a validating smile on my face. It was a
ELA Success
We've said it before and we'll say it again, Jingles are a fun way for students to learn the definitions of the eight parts of speech and other important language arts concepts. Definitions are oftentimes difficult to understand and remember, but by strategically singing or chanting
ELA Success
At Shurley English, we teach everything about Language Arts in a unique way. The curriculum has been divided into a combination of individual features that spiral together in harmony to teach difficult concepts successfully. Jingles are one of the unique features that we introduce, reinforce, and help students master, and
Let's Get Creative
My family and I have played a really cool game throughout our years together. My wife and I thought it up when we were traveling on vacation several years ago, and it remains as one of my all-time favorites (not sure anyone else agrees!!). It only requires a brain, a
at school
One goal of using direct instruction in your classroom is to build confidence in your students as you model, model, model. As teachers, we model grammar jingles. We model sentence classification. We model every day to ensure our students can make English Language Arts connections with confidence. But, why leave
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
ELA Success
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