Posts by Gretchen Schultek Bridgers
Reading Test Strategies
State testing is officially underway- 1 day down, 2 more to go! I am so excited for my kids this year. Not only did we have 100% attendance today, but every single child used their strategies. Wahoo!!! I’m sure some of you teachers out there can relate to this stress of standardized testing. Students have…
Read Full PostMy (favorite) Class
Okay, okay you caught me! I am making a confession that I love my class this year. For whatever reason, the combination of students has made for an easy year. We not only get our work done, but we have a blast together. Years prior, I have enjoyed my classes too. But, there was often…
Read Full PostPaideia Seminar
I was just recently trained in utilizing Paideia seminars as a teaching strategy during my Literacy block. It was quite an intensive in-service, full of information, examples, and brainstorming sessions. As most things in my life, I learn by doing. So, planning everything out in detail was becoming too frustrating. I had a general outline I…
Read Full PostGuided Reading
My teaching has evolved over the years, especially in my instructional methods for Literacy. Six years ago when I began teaching, my district adopted a reading program comprised of various stories based on a theme. For example, Unit 1 contained six stories about animals and their habitats. Grouping stories this way helped students understand the unit’s…
Read Full PostCurrent Event Project
Have you ever realized something you hated as a child turned into something you love as an adult? I have come to this realization with my class this year. As a child, I never liked Social Studies or History classes. I could not identify with the content. It seemed so foreign; a bunch of dates…
Read Full PostWake Up!
Do you ever have those days where your students, no matter how hard you try, are zoned out and disengaged? Try getting your students up and moving. After all, it’s hard to be sleepy when your body is moving! When I was working towards my master’s degree, one of the courses I took discussed the…
Read Full Post"Moving Up Night"
Our school recently hosted a “Moving Up Night” for parents to receive information on the upcoming school year by grade level. For example, as a third grade teacher, I fielded questions from parents of prospective second graders. Third grade is generally an anxiety provoking thought in most parent’s minds due to the mandated End-of-Grade state…
Read Full PostCamp Invention
As a parent, do you dread summer time because you struggle finding worthwhile activities for your child to partake in? As a teacher do you feel the same for your students regarding preparation for the upcoming school year? Luckily, there are some great educational opportunities over the summer for students. One of them is called…
Read Full PostPro's & Con's
Have you ever sat down to make an important decision and created a Pro’s/Con’s list? It helps me look at the situation more objectively. I am able to see the benefits and potential drawbacks in order to make the best possible decision for myself. Recently, I transferred to a new school within the same…
Read Full PostClassroom Supplies
How do you manage those classroom expenses? I always end the school year thinking my classroom was a well oiled machine, including supply allotment and usage. But somehow at the beginning of every year, I feel I am back at zero. The library of books I worked steadily to build is minuscule. All the crayons…
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