November Days of Gratitude: My kids, because where would a teacher be without a classroom full of children? I have to admit, this year I have particularly charming classes and, as every teacher can tell you, that isn’t always the case. Classes of children take on personalities and this year, I have an incredibly sweet…
Tag: middle school
We all need a village: November Days of Gratitude
November Days of Gratitude: My colleagues. In education, that is a combination of scores of teachers, supportive administration, and indispensable support staff. Without all of them, I don’t know where I’d be. I’m sure I wouldn’t be the teacher I am. From my first year teaching in 1990, when I would unabashedly arrive in the…
Six degrees and volcanic activity in Santa Fe, New Mexico
Seems like I’ve been gone from my blog for forever. Sometimes you need to step off, regroup. I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but sometimes, you just have nothing to say. Better to remain silent. I went back to work full-time in January, adopting a 7th grade class whose teacher resigned over the…
WordPress Delivered My First Gift of Christmas
After Thanksgiving, I went into a bit of hibernation. Work and responsibilities at home don’t stop when I need downtime, so I’ve backed off in other areas where I have more control — which is why I’ve been a bit quiet for a week. My poor little blog hasn’t gotten much attention at all. But…
November Days of Gratitude: When autumn colors remind us to slow down
I stood by our mailbox, in the rain, yesterday and as I gathered all the flyers, bills, and catalogs in my arms, I noticed for a minute how beautiful and quiet our street was. The day’s light was waning even while the pavement glistened. The trees are full of color, finally. In the Bay Area,…
November Days of Gratitude: When one day rolls into the next
My days of gratitude, in and of themselves, have been something to give thanks for. They have centered me, grounded me to the blessings in my life. It has been a slowing down of the crazy pace we’ve accepted as “normal” and given me time to reflect. Mostly. Except yesterday — when I had to…
November Days of Gratitude: The Power of Voice and Exercising the Right to Vote
I teach English Language Arts to middle school children, but what I really teach children is how to find their voice. I teach them to not only perfect their voice in their writing, but to exercise their voice when they share with in partners and in whole-group discussions. In between the lines, I teach children…
A Photo a Day: Look to the Children
It’s been a heck of a week. Still reeling from the devastation that’s happening in Puerto Rico — and having just returned from Montana — I woke up on Monday morning to the news of the fires in Sonoma County. At first, I thought, oh yeah, fires . . . it’s that time of the…
Poetry: Using Models to Spark Creativity in Middle School (Write Every Day, 19)
I love using poetry in the classroom. We read it, think about it, talk about it, write it. When kids first hear the word “poetry” they usually groan (which truly breaks my heart), but when they’re given the opportunity to immerse themselves in the lyrics of their favorite songs, a tiny shift happens. Suddenly, poetry…
The 50-Word Story, A Challenge (Write Every Day 18)
Teaching middle school writers is a balance between getting them started and teaching them to edit. Some middle schoolers will write on and on forever, if given the time, wanting to write the “Great American Novel.” They will ramble and roll through plot until it is a maze of confusion. Revision is hard; editing down…
How to Promote a Growth Mindset, One Mistake After Another
The article in New York Magazine (http://nymag.com/scienceofus/2016/06/how-kids-get-failure-mindsets.html) on the latest research about what parents do when they operate from a “growth mindset” regarding their children’s learning – and what messages kids get about their abilities — struck a chord and a nerve with me. As a teacher, I expect all my kids to learn from…
Barbara Ganias Comstock 