Books · 05-25-2016
My friend Jerry reminds me of the book character Amos McGee. Like Amos, he is friendly, patient, and generous with his time. Even though he has a lot to do, he always makes time to visit. Erin Stead won the 2011 Caldecott Medal for A Sick Day for Amos McGee, which was written by her husband Philip Stead. The book, about a zookeeper who always has time for his animal friends, is lovely and charming – much like the illustrator. She won the medal at quite a young age – late twenties. In fact...
Resources · 05-05-2016
When I was a classroom teacher, I often felt conflicted about time management. It seemed there was never enough time to incorporate the creative spontaneity of children. It was always difficult to align the students’ excitement for learning new things with instructional goals and responsibilities. The following classroom practices helped me shift from a time-pressured adult to a nurturing motivator. Parents can use them at home too. 1. Laugh. I often use humor to reduce stress. It’s good to...
Resources · 11-10-2015
Most people don’t think of school as a place for comedy. However, many of us remember our class clowns, especially those with dynamic personalities. They often made class quite interesting. For teachers, however, a class clown can be a nemesis who disrupts class and derails lessons. Fortunately, not every teacher feels that way. In a recent NPR podcast, educator/host Lee Hale asked, “What if we looked at class clowns differently? What if, instead of seeing them as a nuisance, we saw them as...