Learn Create Inspire
Sharing successes and challenges through teaching while becoming a (hopefully) published author.
Social Justice Symposium: Social Justice Quilt
The Social Justice Quilt is a collaborative piece of artwork that explores the big learning my class had during our Social Justice Symposium unit. To explore the power of instillations, my class learned about The Witness Blanket created by Carey Newman. I also share my gratitude for a teacher friend who helped me with this unit…and so many others!
Banned Books: Exploring Representation in Literature
Kids literatures is being banned at an alarming rate, which limits access to diversity and #ownvoice authors. This post explores a banned books lesson that I designed for my class. It moves from input to co-creation to transformation in the understanding of book banning with my class. I also reflect on personal experiences in diversity in literature and questions you can ask yourself about literature you have used in your own classroom.
Storytelling Part 5: Storytelling Festival and Assessment
In Part 5 of the Storytelling Series, I talk about the storytelling festival and assessment.
Storytelling Part 4: Becoming a Storyteller
In Part 4 of the storytelling series, I talk about the lessons that helped my kids build their stage presence and add details to their stories. These were fun hands-on lessons filled with laughter.
Storytelling Part 3: Teaching Kids How to Understand Their Stories
In Part Three of the storytelling series, you will learn how my kids started to unpack their stories and recognize the five anchor points they would use to tell their stories.
Exploring Storytelling: Accidentally Creating Comics (Part 1?)
We are exploring different ways of telling stories in my classroom. This blog post outlines how making creatures with playdough ended up becoming a comic using Book Creator….and being woven into our storytelling unit. It was a powerful way to combine tactile learning, storytelling, and technology. This activity was filled with student voice and voice, as well as having an authentic audience. The engagement was high and I had fun!
Cardboard Connections: A Case for Playing with Materials
A cardboard connection lessons to help my students learn how to build with recycled materials. A case for seeing play as learning and letting kids play with materials and manipulative before you construct expectations together. Simple Machines, scissors, glue, Make Do kits, laughter, and a fashion show.