Andrew and Jennifer Yoder’s curriculum is called Creative Writing: Sparkling Bits of Writing, and comes in two books. The first is recommended for grades 5-6 and the second for grades 7-8. How the Curriculum Developed The curriculum grew from Jen’s own creative writing classes at the school where …Read More

If you missed Part 1 and Part 2, you may want to read them before reading this post. Part 1 looked at the differences between the way American parents and educators seem to view outdoor play for children in contrast to the way it is viewed within harsher …Read More

 If you have missed Part 1, you may want to read that before delving into this post. Within that post, we looked at the differences between the way American parents and educators seem to view outdoor play for children in contrast to the way it is viewed within …Read More

February school days are their own kind of special. The holiday excitement has worn off, the days are still short and chill, and the school term is barely half-way done, with the second half stretching into the dim future. I sensed early in my teaching career that morale …Read More

“Good morning…uh…uh…uh,” I said to the girl coming down the hall. Her mask was over her nose. Her hood covered her head so only her eyes peeked out. Who is the girl behind the mask? “Uh…uh…oh! Carla, it’s you,” I said as she got closer. We chuckled together. …Read More

If you’re on top of the world, this letter is not for you. Come back soon, on a day when you need it. Dear Teacher, I know you’re trying super hard. You started the school year with high hopes and good resolutions, but you’re feeling a little slumpy …Read More