Let's Get Creative
If you’re like most human beings in 2018, you probably spend a fair amount of time in front of a computer, tablet, or cell phone sitting, reading, texting, typing, or holding a phone up to your ear. Our workplaces and classrooms have been overtaken by the digital world. Even
Holiday Lessons/Resources
When the excitement of a snow day or a long weekend is over, you may want an activity to teach your students how to find interest in nature’s resting time. It's an opportunity to find the beauty on display right outside the window! Take a classroom field
ELAsuccess
I am a fairly laid-back person, but when it comes to the debate over the Oxford comma, I can get riled up! It’s so true; I can go from Ariel to Ursula in a matter of seconds when defending it! Unlike Ursula, I don’t want to take the
Grammar
I believe your STYLE matters when you teach Shurley English. I’m not referring to fashion, but I am speaking of classroom management style. SPOILER ALERT: I’m going to get personal and invite you to reflect on YOU and your style for a moment. What type of environment have
In the Spotlight
Yup…we have some troublesome rules to follow in grammar sometimes, and one of the most challenging obstacles in our spoken and written language is that our ear is often at war with the rules of Standard English. Our ears seem to be stuck on hearing and saying “you and
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
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
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
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