Author: Valorie

November is the season for thankfulness. As Americans we have many freedoms in our lives to be thankful, most of which I take for granted every day. I am grateful for all the service personal who protect our freedoms, as well as the ones who have lost their lives defending our freedoms. It is our… Continue reading Thankful for Education

Since the implementation of the Common Core Standards, there has been a greater emphasis on rigor in education. For as much as rigor is demanded and students are expected to perform rigorously, rigor is left up to the eye of the beholder. Often, rigor is mischaracterized by more work. An example of this is the… Continue reading What is Rigor?

I read this blog post by Trevor Muir (retrieved from http://www.trevormuir.com/new-blog-avenue/sleeping-student) and would be remiss not to share. No Sleeping in My Class! September 12, 2019 There was once a girl in my English class who refused to listen to me. I kindly asked her twice to wake up and stop sleeping. I mean, the… Continue reading Relate First, Teach Next

Summer is a time which symbolizes freedom for many kids. Free to play, have fun, explore hobbies, a relaxed schedule, and sleep. The downtime is great for them to recharge their bodies and creativity. Now that summer has ended, or is coming to a close, schedules and routines are being implemented again. One very important… Continue reading Time for Sleep

Recently, I have been reading about what makes a text complex. Why? With the plethora of books published, should we teach the using same “classics.” Also, on a personal note, when helping my own children choose books to read, I consider the appropriateness of the plot to their age. There are three factors to consider… Continue reading Text Complexity

A couple weeks ago I came to realization that I am over scheduling my kids, especially my eldest (who is in first grade). He has a sport, scouts, and participates in a school club. This takes up two to three evenings a week as well as Saturdays. He has fun toys, games, and books which… Continue reading Scheduling Play

In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, I share this poem. Please take a moment during the week to say thank you to a teacher who inspired you. Teacher's Rainbow by Carla Ekman God says that unto each of us are gifts He has bestowed. These gifts He's chosen carefully are treasures that we hold. Each one… Continue reading The Colors of a Teacher

The months of April and May in a public school calendar have dates blocked out for standardized testing. Many third through eighth grade students, teachers, and parents dread this time of year with great cause. Over twenty years ago when I began my education career, this was not the case. Yes, we administered standardized tests,… Continue reading The Disservice of Testing

Spring is a busy time of year for students and parents alike. Families are preparing for graduation (college, high school, middle school, elementary, and preschool) and the next step. As a society so much time is spent looking to the future, we forget to there is a start which needs to be planned. It is… Continue reading Are We Ready for School?

A couple weeks ago, I read an article mentioning Bill Gates had stated textbooks are becoming obsolete. Then, a day or two later, it was mentioned on the morning radio show as I was driving. So, I decided to look into this assertion and ponder its reality. Bill Gates first made his textbook prediction in… Continue reading The Fate of Textbooks