I eagerly purchased The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane a few years ago for my classroom. I knew I wouldn’t be disappointed since I have been a fan of Kate DiCamillo’s writing for many years. She has written some of my favorite classroom read alouds, Because of Winn Dixie, The Tiger Rising and The Tale of Despereaux. Two of…
Category Archives: Notes From the Teacher
This Isn’t Your Star
My fellow teachers and I recently heard a nationally acclaimed presenter speak about effective teaching. One of her main points was to “fake it” in front of your students. As in, don’t let them see your real emotions, just slap on a smile and go throughout the day. Everyday. This was obviously a biggie for her since she…
Hello Tom Sawyer – Please Pass Me a Dictionary
If memory serves me right, I never read Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, as a kid. I was a Are You Their God? It’s Me Margaret kind of girl. My 12-year-old, Lovey, received a copy of “Tom Sawyer” for Christmas and we cracked it open the other night. OK, so is it just me or were the young…
Does the Squeaky Wheel Really Get the Oil?
I’m becoming more outspoken these days. I’m not carrying around a soapbox, just yet, but I’ve borrowed a few. I think I’m actually growing up…yes, finally at the age of 38, I’m finally feeling like an adult. And by that I mean I feel like (hear dramatic music here) I can do more, I want more, I need…
I Work With Some Pretty Cool People
Happy faces greet me each day at work….. giddy, excited, eager faces! Everyday, I have at least 1, but more like 10+ people compliment my outfit, my hair, my lipstick. I work with a room full of people who hang on my every word when I am telling a story about my own kids or my dog. They…
Evangelist I am Not, But……
I had a moment yesterday… There is a boy in my class who lost his father to cancer 5 years ago. This little boy was just 4 or 5 years old at the time. This past Spring, the same boy lost his grandma to cancer. And now, his 8-year-old cousin is almost one year into a brain cancer diagnosis…
What Do 9-Year-Olds Wonder About?
I asked my 4th graders to write a question, one thing they wonder about. We didn’t brainstorm, we didn’t pre-write, we didn’t have a class discussion. I wanted the questions to come directly from each of them without anyone piggybacking on someone else’s idea. These are 10 of my favorites: I wonder what my dog is doing…
