http://teacherparentresources.com Resources for Elementary School Teachers and Parents Sun, 11 Dec 2011 20:45:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 http://teacherparentresources.com/about/comment-page-1/#comment-45 Tina Boogren Mon, 04 Feb 2008 16:09:12 +0000 #comment-45 Wow. My principal, Sid Rundle, asked me to check this website out and I've just spent 45 minutes clicking here and then there and printing off all sorts of great resources.... As a middle school staff developer, I feel like I've hit the "jackpot" here! We're in the middle of "redefining" ourselves as a school and this wonderful website gets right to the heart of the work that we're attempting to do. Like Sid, I certainly do not feel that this is an "elementary school only" resource as many of the links are just about good, research-based instruction... which transcends all grade levels. I, too, was particularly impressed with the writing resources because as a former English teacher, my goal was always to create lifelong readers, writers, and thinkers. Being able to move students from the notion of simply writing to fulfill an assignment into the mode of writing to THINK and LEARN was powerful. And while you illustrate this beautifully in the context of young writers, the same mode of thought works for higher level writers as well. Powerful stuff. Thank you for creating this wonderful resource... I look forward to checking back often... Wow. My principal, Sid Rundle, asked me to check this website out and I’ve just spent 45 minutes clicking here and then there and printing off all sorts of great resources…. As a middle school staff developer, I feel like I’ve hit the “jackpot” here! We’re in the middle of “redefining” ourselves as a school and this wonderful website gets right to the heart of the work that we’re attempting to do. Like Sid, I certainly do not feel that this is an “elementary school only” resource as many of the links are just about good, research-based instruction… which transcends all grade levels. I, too, was particularly impressed with the writing resources because as a former English teacher, my goal was always to create lifelong readers, writers, and thinkers. Being able to move students from the notion of simply writing to fulfill an assignment into the mode of writing to THINK and LEARN was powerful. And while you illustrate this beautifully in the context of young writers, the same mode of thought works for higher level writers as well. Powerful stuff. Thank you for creating this wonderful resource… I look forward to checking back often…

]]> http://teacherparentresources.com/about/comment-page-1/#comment-11 Sid Rundle Fri, 28 Dec 2007 16:19:36 +0000 #comment-11 As a middle school principal my first reaction to this site was, "Wow, this is some really useful stuff, but its scope is limited to elementary school teachers and parents of young children." But after perusing through the archives a while longer I found myself thinking of how easily transferable and relevant these strategies and ideas are. Take for instance the lovely little section on writing at home with your pre-schooler. The elegant notion that what can be thought can be said, what can be said can be written, and what can be written can be read transcends just working with emergent readers and writers. This is exactly at the heart of the writing process where so many adolescents struggle as writers. They've lost perspective about the role of their thought life and have hijacked their natural instincts as writers to serve the banal agenda of writing for the teacher, for the assignment, for the homework completion, for some mythical length requirement, etc. The very best language arts teachers I've worked with are constantly challenging their students to "write small." This site stresses this point throughout the various topics on writing by admonishing teachers and parents to encourage the child to write about a detail of an event rather than the whole of the event (e.g. a day to remember vs. summer vacation; a thrilling ride vs. a day at the amusement park). Anyways, I very excited to have this resource bookmarked on my computer and I can't wait to share it with my teaching faculty of 60 plus middle school teachers. Sometimes going back to the heart and basics of our practice helps us gain valuable insight into truly powerful instruction and learning, regardless of what level we teach. Good stuff! As a middle school principal my first reaction to this site was, “Wow, this is some really useful stuff, but its scope is limited to elementary school teachers and parents of young children.” But after perusing through the archives a while longer I found myself thinking of how easily transferable and relevant these strategies and ideas are. Take for instance the lovely little section on writing at home with your pre-schooler. The elegant notion that what can be thought can be said, what can be said can be written, and what can be written can be read transcends just working with emergent readers and writers. This is exactly at the heart of the writing process where so many adolescents struggle as writers. They’ve lost perspective about the role of their thought life and have hijacked their natural instincts as writers to serve the banal agenda of writing for the teacher, for the assignment, for the homework completion, for some mythical length requirement, etc. The very best language arts teachers I’ve worked with are constantly challenging their students to “write small.” This site stresses this point throughout the various topics on writing by admonishing teachers and parents to encourage the child to write about a detail of an event rather than the whole of the event (e.g. a day to remember vs. summer vacation; a thrilling ride vs. a day at the amusement park). Anyways, I very excited to have this resource bookmarked on my computer and I can’t wait to share it with my teaching faculty of 60 plus middle school teachers. Sometimes going back to the heart and basics of our practice helps us gain valuable insight into truly powerful instruction and learning, regardless of what level we teach. Good stuff!

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