On This Thanksgiving Day, while the rest of the family is watching football (I’m not a football watcher) I thought it might be a good time to reflect on some of the things that I’m thankful for.

I’m thankful for my family. They are not only all that a mom and wife could hope for, they all get along well. I am so incredibly grateful for that. Mike, Shivahn, and Ian, you are my lifeblood, lifeline and my ever so patient cheering squad and support.

I’m grateful for the relationship Read the rest of this entry »

Co-teaching Seminars This Week

Here in St. Louis (Clayton, actually). Checked in, shuttle driver took me to Whole foods – did groceries, going to polish my co-teaching presentation before bed. Tomorrow St. Louis, Tuesday: Springfield, MO, Wed: Kansas City, MO, Thurs: Minneapolis, MN, and Friday, FARGO!!!

Co-teaching Coaching Last Week

Last week I was working with Permian High School and Odessa High School in Odessa, TX. I love being in the classroom. Both high schools are making great gains in their co-teaching efforts. Not only did I get to work with some awesome teachers and administrators in Odessa, Texas, I attended a Permian High School Football ’send-off to the state championships’ bon-fire. I also attended an Odessa High Pep rally. They both made it to this past weekend championships in El Paso and they both won! Experiencing West Texas Football and West Texas friendly hospitality is truly delightful. The week flew by.

Teach Children the Importance of Proper Nutrition

According to the Centers for Disease Control, the prevalence of obesity among children aged 6 to 11 has more than doubled in the past 20 years, from 6.5% in 1980 to 17.0% in 2006. The rate among adolescents aged 12 to 19 more than tripled, increasing from 5% to 17.6%. Helping children understand the importance of diet and exercise now can reduce their risk for heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, stroke, Read the rest of this entry »

Transition With Song

Kindergarten teacher Marna Ingerson of Lancaster Schools writes, “All of my transitional directions are sung. ‘Line up! Line up! Everybody line up!’ Directions for activities: ‘Turn your eyes up here, up here’. Repeat and point up or down or left or to the chart. Then we begin to read, write, etc. We sing a thank you song for our guest speakers, volunteers, etc. ‘Thank you! Thank you! Thank you very much, Mr/Mrs ___________.’ We deal with respect and consideration of others constantly.”

Singing instructions to children early in their education is a marvelous way to introduce music to learning as well as a unique way to help students transition and to draw attention. Try it and see how it works for you!

For more help with using music in the classroom, visit www.songsforteaching.com for downloads, cds, and other sources to promote learning on any subject with music.

Offers Teaching Aids for Your Classrooms

Teachnology is an information packed site for those in search of technology tools and teaching aids for the classroom! Whether you are looking for lesson plan ideas, pre-made activities for your classes, or ready-to-use rubrics, this site offers a host of information designed to help make you more productive in your classrooms.

For example, I’m researching tools, techniques and resources to teach vocabulary. I searched the word, “vocabulary” on Teachnology and found a video and several other links to vocabulary teaching tools and ideas. The site encourages membership, however, Read the rest of this entry »

Moving beyond the success of his own life, Josh Waitzkin, eight-time national chess champion, world champion martial artist, and subject of the film Searching for Bobby Fischer, has written a book detailing his experiences on the road to mastery.

Part autobiography, part self-help guide, The Art of Learning: An Inner Journey to Optimal Performance explains Waitzkin’s principles for improving performance in any field. In talking about the book, Waitzkin’s says, “If I have learned anything in a lifetime of world-class competition, it is that learners and Read the rest of this entry »

From Susan’s booklet, “Martial Arts and the Awakening of a Public School Teacher

Copyright 1995 by Susan Fitzell

Last Wednesday I was hurt during my self-defense class. The instructor was having us practice throws. I don’t like being thrown. I don’t trust the inexperience of the “throwers,” nor do I trust my ability to consistently fall correctly. It’s part of the class, however, so I do it. I don’t know how it happened, but when the young person “threw me” (with a shoulder throw), my head whipped around and hit the floor, hard. Read the rest of this entry »

Individual White Board Erasers

Free Alternatives