Reading Skills as Life Skills

Teaching kids to infer helps them with more than reading. You don't have to limit teaching inferring word meaning to traditional texts. No matter the setting, students need to master this skill in order to understand their world and make good decisions.

In FACS, students look at a variety of items to analyze what they should do. Consider how you can imbed inferring skills into your regular instruction. Model your thinking. Ask questions rather than tell. Just a few minutes of attention to inferring skills can make a big impact on student learning.

When students infer, they think. And, our job is to develop thinkers.

Sometimes, It's the Simple Things

Using technology can transform a simple quiz into a more engaging activity. In this pic, the teacher has imported the quiz into Socrative for a more interactive quiz. Even better: the data is instantly compiled for you. What a great way to determine learning gaps and enrichment needs for further individualized learning.

"Cuz, yo we're makin' money..."

What's one of the best ways to demonstrate understanding? It's through Level C and D (remember that authentic learning PowerPoint from January's Early Release) work. In the picture below, students are applying their learning about symbols in money by making their own. That's level C.

Watch out LL Cool J...

Because TMS knows how to RAP! We rap in Science. We rap in social studies. We rap in math. We rap in Explo. And, of course, we rap in English.

Foreshadowing What's Coming Soon

As you already know, Common Core emphasizes literacy in all content areas. With writing, this means a heavy emphasis on argumentative writing. Check out these team teachers giving us a sneak peak into next year's PD:

-our scientists are trying to persuade Karl Guyer to install solar panels at TMS, and
-our activists have written a persuasive letter of their choice.

Students were quoted noting how both teachers were expecting similar skills.

Two For The Price of One

Check out this class...
-a clear objective on the board
-students working collaboratively to build consensus about their learning

MAP Word of the Day

How do you use it?