Welcome to the Shurley English Blog! For the past thirty-five years, our mission at Shurley Instructional Materials has been simple. We do all we can to help teachers and students experience grammar and writing success. With that goal in mind, we wanted to create a space where our team of educators could share tips, tricks, and techniques to ignite learning. It’s all about educators helping educators on the Shurley English Blog. We invite you to join the conversation!
As a kid, do you remember the first time you took the training wheels off and tried to ride your first bicycle? In the beginner’s mind, it was the next step in being a big kid, and it meant being open to making mistakes and being willing to take a huge risk.
Read MoreThe ideal scenario for the first couple months of a new school year would be a classroom running smoothly. You want to be comfortable with your daily schedule and know that you can meet the needs of all of your diverse students.
Realistically, some of you may already feel like the expectations and duties increase even more as the fall progresses. Before you become consumed with the busyness of the new school year, always remember this: “YOU are a TEACHER!” You are the one that works to mold the future. You make an incredible impression and impact in the lives of all the students who enter your classroom.
This year is a brand new one, and if you’re ready to level-up your teaching, you should consider this question: “What kind of teacher do you want to be this year?”
Read Moreo, what’s happening “testing-wise” in your school and in your classroom? Let’s continue the conversation about real or authentic assessments. (If you missed part one, click here.) In my opinion, it is vital to add these authentic assessments to your “testing bag-o-tricks.” Just look at some of the benefits:
Read MoreWe’re all familiar with national standardized testing, the numerous true/false or multiple-choice tests a teacher gives throughout a school year, along with the benefits these assessments can provide. One school of thought says that assessments are a key component of learning because it helps students see how well they understand subject-specific material. Others say assessments can help motivate students. Still, testing often feels like a necessary evil that all teachers must do to show evidence that students have learned the content teachers worked so hard to teach.
I’d like you to consider looking at the way you assess your students through a different lens. What if
Read MoreWhen I began teaching at a small private parochial school, I learned quickly that even though I was teaching two grade levels of Shurley English in the same room, there was a disparity in the way I had to instruct each level. Each group had different developmental needs and learning objectives. Along the way, I discovered a few extremely effective strategies for teaching different groups of students that I would like to share with you today.
Read MoreWhen my third graders were first learning the parts of speech, some of them would mix-up adverbs and adjectives. I found a great process that would move my students from definitions, through Bloom's Taxonomy, and towards application. Let me show you...
Read MoreOur commitment to you and your success in language arts is ongoing. A few years ago, we launched the Shurley English Blog, where our team of educators discuss trends, strategies, and tips for success. It’s all about encouragement, support, and aiding each other. It has been a true labor of love and our team is thrilled to continue the charge!
Today, we are excited to announce a new tool designed to help you and your students as you learn language arts skills: The Shurley English Two-Minute
Read MoreAs a teacher, you know the effortful task of teaching students about the six steps of the Writing Process. The steps should be taught and repeated so that students will always know how to communicate thoughts and ideas in competent, confident way. Now, I’d like to let you in on a little secret. As a student, I enjoyed the subject of grammar, spelling, and vocabulary. I even loved journal writing. But, the truth was that I loathed formal writing. I had most of the pieces of the writing puzzle, but I didn’t know how to fill in the gaps to bring it to completion.
Read MoreAs a classroom teacher, returning from holiday break was always bittersweet. On one hand, I knew the pressure for “test prep” would be more intense, but on the other hand, the satisfaction of witnessing my students grow into wiser beings put a validating smile on my face.
I imagine my students felt similar…a little anxious about getting refocused on learning and the routines of school-life, but excited to be around their friends and completing another school year.
The New Year seems to offer people a clean slate or a fresh start from which to begin another 365 days of the Earth’s rotation around the Sun. Celebrations with family and friends, eating delicious food, watching the “ball” drop with flashy fireworks, and reevaluating the past or creating resolutions for the next 365 days is how most Americans bring in the New Year. Why not create a New Year’s Celebration in your classroom? It’s an ideal time to celebrate your students’ academic growth and invite them to reexamine their goals. (Food, fireworks, family, and a shiny ball are all optional.) Here are two ways you can bring in the New Year with positivity and possibility.
Read MoreTeaching kids to write can be easy if you have the right tools! Getting organized is the first step, and one of the best ways to accomplish this is with an excellent set of writing maps. Writing maps are the foundation for writing success and truly help your children start out focused and on topic. What could be better than that?
At Shurley English, we want to give you a great start to the new year. Right now, you can download our Shurley English writing maps for FREE! Below, you will find a
Shurley English is the best English Language Arts curriculum available to public schools, private schools, and home educators.Shurley English is a rigorous curriculum that brings back student-teacher interaction, promotes higher-order thinking skills, and provides students with a successful base from which they can achieve mastery, retention, and enthusiasm for English.
Our mission is to inspire and empower ALL students to become competent, confident communicators by providing superior educational solutions and innovative teacher training tools. This will enable all students to positively impact their school, community, and future work environments.
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