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When they are working towards a common goal, engaged in a fascinating topic, or trying to figure out a solution for a meaningful problem, students feel more connected to school and each other. Engaged learners have lots to talk about, including discoveries and interesting facts, experiments, predictions, and what they…

Interactive Modeling is a simple, quickly paced way of teaching that can lead students to a stronger mastery of skills than traditional modeling. It's effective for teaching any skill or procedure that students need to do in a specific way, such as filling out an answer sheet or talking with…

One afternoon in late October, my third grade class laughed together for the first time this year. It happened as we were getting ready to transition from science to math. "Okay," I said, "we need to put away our ecosystem books, our papers and pencils, and then make a standing…

"When did your courage surprise you?" I was profoundly moved by this question when it was posed at a conference I attended years ago, and it came back to me recently when I heard Alix Spiegel reporting about cultural perceptions of the role of intellectual struggle in learning on NPR's…

When it's done effectively, Interactive Modeling helps students achieve greater, faster, and longer-lasting success in meeting expectations and mastering skills. My new book, Interactive Modeling, provides step-by-step guidance on using this powerful technique in the classroom, and I'm excited to let you know that now there are several new videos…

Which parts of your school day just don't seem to work as well as you'd like? Now's a great time to do some problem-solving, imagine new possibilities, and plan to make changes when school starts again. It's also a great time to brush up on Interactive Modeling, a key Responsive…

Children need to develop the ability to think imaginatively and creatively. Children with imagination do a better job visualizing what they are reading, solving problems, entertaining themselves without devices, and thinking creatively in a variety of situations. I started thinking about the power of imagination recently after reconnecting with a…

Here's a Morning Meeting message idea from 80 Morning Meeting Ideas for Grades 3–6, by Carol Davis: Use a message like this one to tap students' prior knowledge and engage them in their learning. (7+5)/(30–10)/(2020–9) Good Morning, Geometry Greats! Today, we are going to begin having fun with geometry. Do…

Here's a Morning Meeting activity idea from 80 Morning Meeting Ideas for Grades 3–6, by Carol Davis: Encore! Students team up to connect vocabulary words with favorite songs. How to do this group activity: Place students into small groups of four or five. Call out a word or topic related…

Here's a Morning Meeting sharing idea from 80 Morning Meeting Ideas for Grades 3–6, by Carol Davis: Who Remembers My Favorite Book? Playing a fun remembering game builds on children's listening and memory skills. How to do this around-the-circle sharing: Tell students they each will have a turn to share…

In addition to the other tips I shared for getting out of a Morning Meeting Message rut, I strongly recommend making a weekly plan. Instead of trying to come up with ideas for a message each and every day, try thinking about messages when you do your planning for the…

At this time of year, people who work in schools often start feeling a bit frayed. Now that the school year is well underway, the "honeymoon period" of the first weeks is long gone. Students may be testing limits a little more, seeming less satisfied with tasks they are assigned,…

"Young engineers, it looks as if you have mastered skyscrapers. Now you are ready for the challenge of building a bridge!" said the teacher to a small group of children in a first grade science classroom I recently visited. She was addressing four students who had built a tall structure…

When I first began my teaching career in the early 1990's, it felt like an exciting time to be in education. There was incredible momentum building for rich, multi-layered, developmentally appropriate teaching. The reading and writing workshop approach to literacy was based on the belief that children were motivated to…

Always on the lookout for resources to help teachers, I recently found a gem: Day by Day: Refining Writing Workshop Through 180 Days of Reflective Practice (Stenhouse, 2010). Ruth Ayres and Stacey Shubitz—the "Two Writing Teachers" bloggers—have rounded up a huge amount of detailed information and presented it in an…

You may have heard it said: "Morning Meeting isn't another thing you add to the plate—it is the plate." If you use Morning Meeting in your classroom, you know about its benefits: a well-crafted Morning Meeting helps children transition into the school day, builds community, promotes social skills, supports learning,…

Question: In many classrooms, the morning message chart is an important part of the beginning of each day and the first place that students go as they enter the classroom. On the chart, students find a greeting from their teacher, some news about what they’ll be learning that day, and…

While reading Mike Anderson's series of posts about strategies for keeping students active and engaged, I kept thinking about a second grade classroom I visited recently. I was lucky enough to watch the teacher use many of the strategies Mike suggests in a skillful, seamless way. The effect was almost…

During a recent visit to a third grade classroom, I was tickled by students' responses to a question on the morning message chart. The class was about to begin a unit of study on decimals, and the teacher was curious about what students already knew about the topic. She asked…

“My students have such a hard time sitting still! They call out all the time! They’re constantly out of their seats!” After hearing this refrain over and over again from teachers, I decided to do a little research. However, instead of trying to verify whether teachers were right about how…

Introducing Doing Math in Morning Meeting: 150 Quick Activities That Connect to Your Curriculum. As you envision the Morning Meetings you'll be holding with students this year, what do you see? Do you see math games? Counting? Measuring and graphing activities? It may not be common for teachers to use…

This clapping chant is fun for K–3 students anytime, but especially when they're studying dinosaurs! Called "Dino Dinner Chant," it’s from Energizers! 88 Quick Movement Activities That Refresh and Refocus, by Susan Lattanzi Roser. Dino Dinner Chant Practice saying the chant together before trying it "for real." As you chant,…

"Interruptions" gets students up and shaking out the cobwebs—while enhancing their listening and literacy skills in a fun way! It's especially good with K–3 students, but older children may also enjoy it. ["Interruptions" is from Energizers! 88 Quick Movement Activities That Refresh and Refocus, by Susan Lattanzi Roser.] Interruptions (Teaching…

When I was a second grader, my teacher would take us outside on mild afternoons to relax with whatever book we chose. We’d munch snacks and chat as we read together. Those lovely times celebrating books and ideas are cherished memories and something I wanted my own students to experience.…

"Which of Beauvoir's Life Rules do you think is most important? Add to the graph to show what you think." For a month, these words greeted all who passed through Beauvoir's front hallway. Mounted on the wall next to the words, a giant bar graph invited members of the school…

Language is one of the most powerful tools available to teachers. We can use language to stretch children’s curiosity, reasoning ability, creativity, and independence. One effective way to do this is by asking open-ended questions—those with no single right or wrong answer. Instead of predictable answers, open-ended questions elicit fresh…