Redwood Literacy’s Post

Relationship-building is one of (if not the most) important aspects of being a teacher. If you’d like to read a bit more about it and stock more strategies, then make sure to check out my blogs on the hot topic in McGraw-Hill. The first of 2 is below : https://lnkd.in/d7zyXrGi

Keep up your child's reading progress this summer with these 4 tips: 1. Create a cozy reading space 2. Connect with other readers 3. Read together 4. Celebrate achievements! Consistency with reading skills builds a strong foundation for lifelong literacy, fostering critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving abilities. Proficient literacy will serve students throughout their lives, empowering them to access information, engage with diverse perspectives, and navigate complexities. #ReadingProgram #ConnectThroughReading #ReadingSkills

Do You Really Know if Your Students Know How to Take Notes? As a consultant and teacher coach, I often suggest to teachers that they use a standard notetaking strategy that incorporates questioning and that students annotate what they read. In the below linked Edutopia - George Lucas Educational Foundation article - A Guide to Teaching Effective Note-Taking - author and teacher Mike Delmont suggests having students even annotate their notes! Check out Delmont's other ideas for notetaking in this article. Do you use a standard notetaking practice with your students? https://lnkd.in/esU9Zvj8 #notetaking #teachingandlearning #annotation #highschool

😝 Took me a LONG TIME to learn this about teaching ELLs. Saw this quote on motivating ELLs from one of Larry Ferlazzo's books (he's kind of the go-to guy for motivating ELLs 😀 ): “People are more motivated and confident when they believe they have more control over their environment. People with low-power mindsets do less than they otherwise could,” said one motivation researcher (Rigoglioso, 2008). Inviting students to have a voice in classroom decisions—where they sit, what day a test takes place, in what order units are studied, or even where a plant should be placed in the classroom—can help them develop that greater sense of control. An added benefit to this strategy could be fewer discipline issues. William Glasser suggests that power is a key need of students, and that 95% of classroom management problems happen because students are trying to fulfill that need (Ryan & Cooper, 2008, p. 85).” If you don't provide opportunities for students to make their own choices, they will bend over backwards to find ways to prove to you that they can still make their own choices. Very often that manifests itself in showing you that they don't have to listen to you or do what you say.

Reading outside of the education field can provide insights that infuse teachers’ practice with meaning. 6 Non-Education Books With Lessons for Teachers / @edutopia

Just as we ask students to apply knowledge across competencies or disciplines, so should we. Here are 6 non-education books that can make a difference in our teaching. https://lnkd.in/dQwpNe28

In my final year of teaching before assuming the role of principal, I am confronted with a number of “lasts.” My last back-to-school bulletin board.  My last group of eighth grade advisees.  My last time teaching Frost, Angelou, and Poe. My last parent-teacher conference. Today, I started my last unit on Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451. In this seminal novel, Bradbury envisions a world where the written word has fallen out of favor for a more engaging medium - at the time, television. Critical thinking falls by the wayside and people are content living like slaves to their technology. Sound familiar? As we read the novel, we discuss topics like freedom of speech, ignorance in a technology-driven world, the role of art in a developed society, courage, and the power of literature. While having these discussions with students certainly enriches their understanding of the world, it also broadens my own perspective. Having taught this book for over a decade, I can say with confidence that the way we discuss technology and the role it plays in our world has evolved significantly. Students have new ideas about what it means to be present, what it means to think critically, and what it means to be civically engaged. Interestingly enough, this story was also part of the reason I chose education as a profession. My teacher brought this story to life and made me question the world around me. I never truly forgot the story and how it made me feel. I also never forgot the teacher who made it happen. As I continue to reflect on my year of “lasts,” I will always remember what it means to be a teacher. Being a teacher means exploring challenging and complex topics. Being a teacher means hearing and actually listening to students. Being a teacher means caring about the well-being of each and every student. Even as principal, I will always be a teacher at heart.

Revisiting this blog from 2023 ... so good! Guiding students through activities with explicit explanations is an integral part of the Structured Literacy approach. Top 5 Intervention Strategies for Reading Comprehension | Lexia (lexialearning.com)

5 things you need to know about the science of reading

I started teaching when I was in class 8..   The fantasy of teaching students was planted during childhood itself.✨️ I started by teaching imaginary students, as I just loved it.🫶   When I look back on my journey, I realize that it's not just that 2 to 3 hours only. It's far more than that. From making question papers and evaluating answers to encouraging students to realize their true potential.   We’ve seen the whole transition from offline to online, books to pdf, checking answers with a red pen to online reviewing, blackboard to zoom wala whiteboard… The 2 key lessons I've learned in my journey of teaching 20+ students are: 1. You can't remain static in this dynamic world. You need to be flexible and adaptable. 2. One size doesn't fit all. Everyone's journey is different. You need to explore and analyze to see what works for you. Don't follow anyone blindly. Share your own teaching story or lessons in the comments below. P.S. Happy Teacher's Day everyone. I have learned a lot from you all.