Teaching Sage Blog: An Apple a Day…Learning to Honor
“The best teachers are those who show you where to look, but don’t tell you what to see.” ~ Alexandra K. Trenfor Today I had to sub in a third grade classroom. I have known these students for 2 years and they are fun, clever, and very special. They had just...Today’s Apple May 20, 2021 – Pandemic Pedagogy
Pandemic Pedagogy After 36 years in education, I thought I had seen everything there is to see, but like many people, I have not taught through a pandemic. Usually, I have a role as an instructional coach but as a result of parents being able to choose hybrid or...Polishing Stars…Heart and Soul
Many people in education have most likely heard of, or read the poem, The Star Polisher by Leah Becks. This poem stresses the responsibility of teachers to “polish” and brighten those stars (students) entering school on the first day. As I thought about polishing...Spring has sprung!
Yesterday as I was enjoying a walk around one of the many lakes here in Minnesota, I saw four robins all together. I took this as a very good sign because I have never seen four robins all at once in the spring of the year. It is a time of rejuvination and new hope....The Art of Handwriting
Being able to form letters and express thoughts using pencil and paper is not just an art but also an imperative piece of literacy development. The human race has been implementing some sort of handwriting for centuries. It is part of expression and also part of our...No Matter How You Slice It…
“I am not what happened to me. I am what I choose to become.” C.G. Jung No matter how you slice it in education, ALL of us has a part in either the success or failure of our schools. It is so easy to point the finger elsewhere but in reality, as...Writing and Developing the Brain
There is nothing I like more than a newly sharpened pencil and a blank page. It allows for the most open-ended type of writing. I also enjoy watching young children with the same tools. It is amazing to see what they will write. Yes, even if it mimics drawing, it can...Memories
My husband is a flight attendent and at times has to fly standby to get home after a few days of work. The other day, he came home and he had that “airplane” smell. It is kind of the smell of tin or metal mixed with a new car smell. As soon as I breathed...Read Aloud
Reading aloud with children is known to be the single most important activity for building the knowledge and skills they will eventually require for learning to read. -Marilyn Jager Adams I grew up in a family of realtors and often heard the adage “location,...