Classroom Discipline Best Practices

/
Classroom Discipline Best Practices

Discipline is one of the most pressing issues in our schools today, and in order for learning to take place, teachers must control and minimize time off task due to discipline problems.  Choosing an effective approach and using it correctly can make a big difference in whether a child feels safe or threatened and whether a child learns more appropriate behaviors or not once the discipline has been administered. 

Instead of waiting until bad behavior rears its ugly head, it is best practice for teachers to

Read More

Shurley English 101: Teaching with Confidence

/
Shurley English 101: Teaching with Confidence

So, you have purchased your Shurley curriculum, you open the book or access your digital teacher’s manual…and then it hits you! “What’s all this? How am I going to cover all of it? Can I even do it?” If you have had these or similar feelings, don’t panic. It’s going to be all right.

My post today is about confidence. Yes! You can teach with confidence, especially if you are just embarking upon your first journey with Shurley English. I realize that the sheer volume of information about English that we teach might be enough to send you to the edge. But, pull back. Breathe. Help is on the way.

Read More

The Art of Self-Care for Teachers: Saying "No."

/
The Art of Self-Care for Teachers: Saying "No."

Last week, we discussed how practicing the art of self-care IS your duty.  Learning how to set boundaries at home and work helps you take care of YOU so you can take care of others. One valuable way to break your pattern of self-sacrifice is by learning how to gracefully say, “No.”

When you’re a chronic giver or helper, it’s really hard to tell people, “No.”  Most of us don’t like to disappoint people.  We avoid conflict when possible, and many people simply believe that taking care of one’s self is just plain selfish.  These days, more and more people have started shifting their beliefs around self-care; personal health and well-being have become a part of people’s lives in the 21st Century.  People are empowered when they can say, “No” to a request that is not absolutely necessary.

Please be aware of this important point: 

Read More

The Art of Self-Care for Teachers

/
The Art of Self-Care for Teachers

Are you familiar with the frog in boiling water metaphor?  (Of course, do not attempt this at home!)

Imagine a pot of cold water sitting on the burner of a stove. A frog is peacefully swimming in it. The heat is turned on, and the water starts warming up. The frog finds this pleasant and keeps swimming. The temperature keeps rising, though. Now, the water is a little more than what the frog enjoys; it becomes a bit tired, but it doesn’t panic. As the water continues to heat up, the frog finds it very uncomfortable, and

Read More

The goal of Shurley English

/
The goal of Shurley English

It’s that time of year again, and most teachers are trying their best to enjoy their final days of summer break. It’s hard to believe that some schools have already started professional development opportunities for their staff members.  Before you know it, your own classroom will be filled with a new group of young learners. 

Some teachers are looking forward to teaching a new curriculum this year.  Even though that can be exciting and motivating, it can also cause feelings of nervousness.  Some teachers have a curriculum in place with nothing new to add.  For these teachers, feelings of confidence about the content are more likely to occur. Either way, it’s helpful to be reminded of curriculum goals and to be re-motivated to teach certain subjects. 

If Shurley English training is not on your professional development schedule this year, I’m here to remind you of your goal when you teach the curriculum…

Read More

Micro-comprehension: Comprehension Monitoring

/
Micro-comprehension: Comprehension Monitoring

In this series of blogs about micro-comprehension, I have presented strategies that boost micro-comprehension: vocabulary words, gap-filling inference, sentence structure processing, figurative language processing, and applying text structure.

When you teach students how to slow down their own thinking— to become aware of what they are thinking about while reading, you are teaching them

Read More

A Noun is a Noun, or is it?

/
A Noun is a Noun, or is it?

From the beginning, Shurley English teaches students to understand the role that each word plays in a sentence. The first part of speech we begin with is the noun, and in true Shurley style, we start by going over the Noun Jingle. The jingle and corresponding lesson teaches that a noun names

Read More

Micro-comprehension: Applying Text Structure

/
Micro-comprehension: Applying Text Structure

As I continue my series about micro-comprehension, text structure processing is next in line. Earlier, I wrote about sentence structure processing. The process of analyzing sentence structure and text structure shares similarities. However, analyzing at the sentence level gives a close-up picture of the meaning of the sentence; whereas, analyzing text structure provides the bigger picture of an entire essay or any longer piece of writing.

Many fluent readers seem to automatically process text structure, but it is probably subconscious. Take a look at this shortlist of text structures students encounter:

Read More

What is a contronym?

/
What is a contronym?

Have you ever noticed that several language arts terms have the letters o-n-y-m in them? I’m talking about words like synonym, antonym, homonym, heteronym, acronym, etc. Of course, the list goes on, but here’s what you need to know about all of these words:

Read More

Writing Time: Let's start a blog!

/
Writing Time: Let's start a blog!

Journal Writing is an activity that is implemented very early in the Shurley English curriculum. Students are taught how to create a written journal to record their thoughts and feelings. Then, throughout the school year, they are encouraged to respond to specific prompts in their personal journals. (If you’re wondering about the benefits of journaling, please check out my previous blog, “The Value of Journal Writing (…and how to get started).”)

Today, I’d like for you to think beyond the written journal and consider developing a classroom wall blog. This type of activity affords you an opportunity to support your classroom instruction and teach your students how to become responsible writers.

To begin, here’s a blog for you and your students to read:

Read More