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
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
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
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
ELAsuccess
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
ELAsuccess
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
Holiday Lessons/Resources
Need a new idea to get the creative juices flowing in your classroom? The Haiku offers that opportunity to your students by channeling their creativity into this unique form of Japanese poetry. Here is a great lesson plan to get you started. (By the way, you can find this lesson,
ELAsuccess
At first glance, teaching the Degrees of Adjectives and Adverbs may seem trite, but after personally hearing numerous adults use this concept incorrectly, I feel it’s worth addressing to ensure the communication success of our young learners. Here is a great reference for you to use during your lesson:
ELAsuccess
Writing skills are an important part of communication. They are critical to academic success and go on to become crucial in the workplace and other areas of life. While some people are born with a natural ability to express themselves verbally, writing is a skill that must be learned. You