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Student learning is no accident!

Teaching Fractions: 3 Keys

If you're thinking about fractions, you might be a 5th grade teacher... Thanks to the Common Core State Standards, fifth grade now throws the wildest fraction party on the block! I taught 6th grade math back when that was fraction central, and I learned 3 key things along the way. They have been just applicable in the 5th grade classrooms ... read more

Talking About Fractions in Math Class

"The ones that are doing the talking are doing the learning." I know that. But, no matter how many times I say it, the impact on student learning in front of me is profound and somehow surprising. There is no example stronger than that of talking about fractions in math class. I've spent most of my career spending part of every school ... read more

Fractions and Decimals Made Easy

If teaching fifth and sixth graders has taught me anything, it's that fractions and decimals can be ABSTRACT and TRICKY... and that kids have to be developmentally ready to perform operations on them. The good news is- the standards aren't encouraging us to get kids to add, subtract, multiply and divide 5/32 and 16/71! We make equivalent ... read more

Classroom Word Game

You know that buzz of collaboration and learning that you hope for everyday? It happens when we play this game. Every. Single. Time. If you like Boggle, you'll love this game. Word Wrangle is a fun classroom word game inspired by my love of Boggle and also my love of quiet. Once upon a time, I bought SIX Boggle games for my first year ... read more

Building Community through Discussion

Class Discussion Norms (In my class, these become our Community Norms and replace any “rules”) Equity of Voice: Monitor your airtime. As a group member you are responsible to be a speaker AND a listener. You are also responsible to invite others to speak. Equal(ish) airtime is the goal. Our community values all voices. ... read more

3 Classroom Discussion Musts

Using Sentence Stems and Explicit Instruction for Classroom Discussions Teaching discussion skills can be daunting! You know you want productive, positive discussions... but how do you get there? Here's some of what works for me! Body Language & Politeness Matter Eye Contact: looking directly at the speaker lets them know ... read more

Getting Students to Use that Feedback

I used to cringe watching students stuff papers into their folders to be lost in the locker abyss… after I had spent so much time thoughtfully providing feedback on their work!! I spend so much time writing thoughtful questions about their math thinking and comments aimed at pushing their scientific curiosity... It was killing me to know ... read more

Subtraction with Renaming

We have moved on to subtraction with renaming (2.NBT.7). You might call this regrouping... but really- if we think literally about what's happening- we're also giving the values new names! 50+10 is a different name for 60. So, renaming, regrouping... you know what we're doing! What's Working I've been doing a lot of this work with ... read more

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Write Solutions

2 weeks ago

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Thank you Charles Schulz for seeing the potential of children. ... See MoreSee Less

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1 month ago

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I love so much about this discussion! “Protective” gets to the root of so much if this. And I also love the “Adaptation” one reader suggested. What do you think?The PDA profile, in my opinion, is a big step forward in better understanding children with extreme avoidant behaviors. I’m simply floating an idea here.. It's also a step, hopefully, in reducing the inappropriate blame of the parents and carers of these children, resulting in excessive amounts of parental stress. One of the advances of PDA is that it calls out the underlying anxiety associated with the need for control and the sensory processing challenges that *cause* the symptoms. Some of my autistic advisors view the etiology of such behaviors as stress responses that are subconsciously *protective*. That's why I’m wondering if Protective Demand Avoidance fits better than "pathological". I know that the phrase "Pervasive Drive for Autonomy" has been suggested, and that addresses the "what" of the behavior, not the "why". When we substitute the word *Protective*, we are getting to the "why," : the human nervous system striving to feel safe. Respectfully, I have observed this profile across diagnostic categories, including but not exclusive to autism . Behaviors are the tip of the iceberg, and the causality is myriad. Shifts like this move us into a paradigm shift that involves appreciating & honoring behaviors as valuable signals, rather than pathologizing them. The DSM is an outdated system, and PDA is a step forward to looking at underlying causality. I hope it will be included in the next rendition of the DSM. #PDA #compassion #neurodiversityacceptance #brainbody #brainbodyparenting #beyondbehaviors #beyondbehaviorsmovement #ODD #paradigmshift #neuroception #interoception #polyvagaltheory #relationalneuroscience #interpersonalneurobiology #FliptheNarrative #childpsychologist #occupationaltherapist #FASD #ACES #childwelfare #developmentaltrauma**Update: the intention of this post was to open a dialogue, and I have received valuable information about how completely wrong I was in how I went about that reading: My heartfelt apologies for the harm & stress this post has caused to anyone. It was not well thought out & I am so sorry. Thank you PDA Our Way for your illuminating comments. Please forgive me for the stress & upset I have caused, and know that I hear you & want to know how I can do better. Respectfully, Mona ... See MoreSee Less

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2 months ago

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Super simple (& filling) dinner idea!Veggie wraps. Sauté favorite veggies in a little water or veggie broth. Blend white bean into a paste and spread on wheat wrap. Once liquid has cooked out of sautéed veggies, pile onto wrap. Add vegan shredded cheeze or avocado (for glue) and roll. Grill seam side down with a plate for weight!Let cool before serving to the kids. The peppers REALLY hold their heat!#wfpbno #feedingkidshealthy #vegankid #teachermomlife #teachermom #veganteach #momlife #toddlerfood #kidfoodideas ... See MoreSee Less

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  • Alicia Sullivan on Instagram: "Middle school students are special! Get class started quickly and with their help, by meeting their unique needs! They need predictability and structure, but also some agency… and they don’t want to be surprised by any unexpected content that might lead them to feel anxious around their peers. Okay?? Got that?? Or, you could try these Daily ELA Warm Ups that do all that… and more!! Link in bio or search my Write Solutions TPT store! #middleschoolela #middlesch
  • Blog post about writing interventions that work for middle school students.
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