Have you ever noticed a significant gap in reading achievement between the girls and boys in your class? If you have, you’re not alone. Research by the Ontario Ministry of Education indicates that although educators do their best to ensure equal learning opportunities for both genders, boys seem to be at a disadvantage when it comes to reading. Here are some interesting facts about the gap between boys and girls: Read more »
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Help your boys become reading champs
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
National Novel Writing Month: Creative writing exercises for students
November is National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo for the abbreviation-lovers out there. Every November, writers all over the world take on the challenge of writing a 50,000-word draft of a novel. Yes, you read that right: 50,000 words in 30 days. Crazy, I know, but last year, nearly 170,000 people participated in the event, writing a total of more than 2.4 billion words.
Your students or children might not be to the novel-writing stage yet, but this is a wonderful time to introduce them to the joys of creative writing. After all, each one of those 170,000 people had to start somewhere. For me, my start was in the second grade when I wrote the book pictured here. It wasn’t exactly a best-seller, trust me. But no matter how rough their first efforts are, it’s never too early to get your young learners ready to become the next great novelist. Here are some tips and starting points for getting them writing.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Thirty-one book recommendations for Read-A-New-Book Month
The start of the school year is all about new things—new classrooms, new students, new friends, and that newly-sharpened pencil smell come to mind. The back-to-school season is also the perfect opportunity to find a new favorite book. September is Read-A-New-Book Month, and it’s the perfect time to challenge your students (and yourself!) to pick up a good book and have a new adventure.
There are a lot of great resources out there with wonderful suggestions of books for struggling readers, English learners, students with disabilities, and early childhood education students. I’ve gathered a few suggestions here just to get you started, including award-winners, picks from the American Library Association, and favorites from some of us here at Imagine Learning. I’ve included thirty-one books—one for each day of Read-A-New-Book Month, plus a spare, just in case.
If you have a book recommendation, please add it to the comments section!
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Eight tips to make your student a back-to-school champ
Summer is winding to a close, and that means a new school year is just around the corner. But back-to-school time doesn’t always mean excitement. Both students who struggle in school and those who excel may be less than enthused about starting a new year. I remember having mixed feelings at the start of each school year: excitement to see old friends, eagerness to escape summer boredom, anxiousness at meeting new people, and fear that I might not know anyone in my classes.
Many students face similar fears and apprehensions. As parents, how can you help your students focus on the positive and get excited about going back to school? Here are eight tips to get you started.
Friday, July 30, 2010
How to bully-proof your struggling students
During the move to our new building, our office plant broke in half. I was heartbroken, but I put the broken half of the plant into a container of water with the hope that the plant would grow new roots. For the first few snowy months, nothing happened. No roots. Then, spring came and the weather started warming up. Seemingly overnight, my struggling plant was thriving, and all because the conditions were finally right. My plant had to be comfortable before he could really start to grow. So what does a plant have to do with bullying?
Like plants, students need the right conditions to really send out their roots and start growing. Unfortunately, many students hold back because they don’t feel comfortable in the classroom. One of the big reasons for this is bullying. Bullying can happen to any student, but English learners, struggling readers, and students with disabilities can be especially vulnerable because they may feel out of place or have low self-esteem. Luckily, you don’t have to wait for a weather change to banish bullies and strengthen your struggling student.
