How quickly the term went. Now a new one is starting and what's on the national agenda now? Obama's educational plan is being deep-6ed by teacher's unions. It is interesting how the mandates keep coming down from the federal level and so little input comes up from the teaching trenches. Somewhere there must be a compromise!
I'm reading for a teacher study group a book called Content Area Conversations: How to plan discussion-based lessons for diverse language learners by Fisher, D. et. al, Shirley Brice Heath writes in the Foreward, "Students need to imagine, plan, think about, wonder and speculate." No matter who they are is her basic premise.
Although today teachers are called on for "accountability, evaluation and standards," she maintains "instead teachers should be asssessing through communication. . . particularly oral language and performance."
In following up on an English Ning link, a teacher asked how to promote discussion in the classroom. Maybe she was reading the same book. Antoher teacher responded with a wonderful web-link.
http://www.coe.uga.edu/~smago/VirtualLibrary/Activities_that_Promote_Discussion.htm
I think almost any part of the language arts curriculum has an activity on this site.
Looking forward to a great quarter. Carrol
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