Welcome to the Shurley English Blog! For the past thirty-five years, our mission at Shurley Instructional Materials has been simple. We do all we can to help teachers and students experience grammar and writing success. With that goal in mind, we wanted to create a space where our team of educators could share tips, tricks, and techniques to ignite learning. It’s all about educators helping educators on the Shurley English Blog. We invite you to join the conversation!
As a classroom teacher, returning from holiday break was always bittersweet. On one hand, I knew the pressure for “test prep” would be more intense, but on the other hand, the satisfaction of witnessing my students grow into wiser beings put a validating smile on my face.
It was a common practice of mine to
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‘Tis the season for trimming the tree, caroling, and holiday cards! I am one of those people who love to send and receive mail. I think I am a dying breed, but it gives me joy to create a holiday card and send it to my friends and family. Of course, this can be a prime teaching and learning opportunity.
Do your children know how to properly address an envelope?
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Coloring sheets, word puzzles, tinsel, glitter, and glue are just some of the items you’ll find scattered around many classrooms during the holidays. There are so many wonderful craft ideas and activities people have used to make the season a memorable one at school. Here’s a fun way to keep your students engaged in writing during the weeks before the holiday break.
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My family and I have played a really cool game throughout our years together. My wife and I thought it up when we were traveling on vacation several years ago, and it remains one of my all-time favorites (not sure anyone else agrees!!). It only requires a brain, a vocabulary, and a voice.
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Are there times when you wonder, “what is my child thinking?” Well, let me clarify. Are there times when you wonder, “what are my child’s thoughts on a particular topic?” (Yes, that’s better phrasing.)
I find that this question usually hits me around the holidays. While the pageantry, hustle, and bustle of the holiday season surrounds us, I have a desire to know, "what are you thinking?!?" I have found a great way to “tune in” with acrostic poems.
In an acrostic poem, the letters that
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Have you ever asked your students to use a newspaper or magazine to highlight adjectives or adverbs? You may have had the same results as me. I tried this with 3rd-5th graders, and I admit the results were underwhelming. A more effective and interactive way to help your students practice this same skill is to have a little fun with a Mad Libs-inspired worksheet! These sheets can easily be turned into a game or into a story-writing activity in your classroom.
Take a look at this free holiday printable I found online. It can be used in your classroom by following a few easy steps!
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The upcoming Thanksgiving holiday is the perfect time to help your students show appreciation for someone special in their lives by creating a special, handmade memento.
I’ve got a great activity that will take your students through the entire writing process to create a heartwarming essay to share with their loved ones. Here are the details…
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It’s that time of year when all things Halloween are tripping about, including thematic lessons like the one I’d like to share with you today. Since it can be exhausting to come up with new, exciting ideas to engage kids during the holidays, hopefully, you will appreciate the idea. I think it’s important to embrace and even outdo students’ excitement because kids long to have adults who can embrace fun!
A favorite lesson plan of mine requires 360˚ thinking—a process where you consider a lesson theme and use it to branch into as many academic areas as possible—sort of like the spokes on a wheel. I like to call it 360˚ Thinking because you actually do look at the possibilities from every aspect where it can apply. Since Halloween is coming up,
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So, what’s happening “testing-wise” in your school and in your classroom? Let’s continue the conversation about real or authentic assessments. (If you missed part one, click here.) In my opinion, it is vital to add these authentic assessments to your “testing bag-o-tricks.” Just look at some of the benefits:
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When you think of testing, do any of these statements come to mind?
“I want to see what my students have learned at the end of each chapter.”
“I want to make sure I’m teaching effective lessons.”
“My administrator says I have to have a certain number of scores in my grade book.”
“I’d like to see the strengths and weaknesses of each student so I can know how to differentiate my instruction.”
We’re all familiar with national standardized testing, the numerous true/false or multiple-choice tests a teacher gives throughout a school year, along with the benefits these assessments can provide. One school of thought says that assessments are a key component of learning because it helps students see how well they understand subject-specific material. Others say assessments can help motivate students. Still, testing often feels like a necessary evil that all teachers must do to show evidence that students have learned the content teachers worked so hard to teach.
I’d like you to consider looking at
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