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When you are asked, “What grade do you teach?”, what is your answer? Officially I teach fifth grade. But in reality, every day, I’m just like you, not just teaching one grade level but several, all at once. Developmentally speaking, I have a classroom full of students who are in 2ndgrade, 3rdgrade, 4thgrade, 5thgrade, and…
Continue reading: How to Use Small Group Instruction to Differentiate for Math
Do you ever find yourself feeling uninspired or at a loss, and yet your students are right there in front of you at your small group table? I’ve been there. But I want you to know that small group (or guided) reading is a tool through which we can reach all of our students, wherever…
It’s the morning after Halloween. My zombie students grunt as I greet them, “Good Morning”. I spent the previous evening trick-or-treating with my son, so I’m a little tired too. I’m sure you have felt the same after a long night. And this isn’t my first post-Halloween classroom. So, the week before, during my planning,…
I’ve had two reoccurring dreams in my teaching career: one is a nightmare; the other, an inspiration. Last night I had the nightmare. I’m in my classroom, unprepared for the lesson, when someone of importance comes to observe me. Chaos rules in this dream as students talk over me, throw things at each other, and…
Continue reading: How I Turned A Halloween Teacher Horror Story Into the Classroom of My Dreams
Years ago I struggled with differentiating for my 25 children. I taught 4th grade but purchased classroom materials for 3rd, 5th, and sometimes 2nd grade. As we all know, children come to us with varying abilities and in a multitude of developmental stages. Just because we teach 5th or 4th or 3rd grade doesn’t mean…
Continue reading: How a Growth Mindset Fosters Differentiation
