education – Write Away

June 2, 2015

Music for Trust, Focus, and Clarity

My children attended a high school that encouraged its students to listen to music if it helped them focus on their work. Neither ear buds, nor phones, nor iPods were banned. I like this philosophy of beginning with trust. It shows both faith in a student’s ability to make appropriate choices, and then values the Continue reading

Arts, Music, Teaching and Learning

Chopin, education, elementary, learning environment, middle school, secondary education

April 28, 2015

Buried Treasure: X Marks the Spot

Before students write a story, ask them to draw an illustrated map. Visualizing, creating, drawing, painting, coloring, and discussing a map stimulates the imagination in ways that words sometimes cannot. It worked for Robert Louis Stevenson (1854-1894), who spent a rainy day with his son drawing this map, which inspired his masterpiece Treasure Island: This marvelous text in Continue reading

Arts, History and Social Science, Storytelling, Teaching and Learning

children, education, illustration, writing

April 10, 2014

Ravens and Science: Now or Nevermore?

What makes a science field trip a Do Now for your students? When two ravens are hatching eggs in a few days at Wellesley College. Go to the Ravencam and leave your computer screen on all day to follow the nesting habits of Pauline and Henry. You’ve just created a field trip in your classroom. The Continue reading

journal

education, interdisciplinary, K-12, parents, ravens, science