They Notice

When a class gets snarky, we bail on them. In thus reacting and not ignoring their rude or even slightly rude behavior, they notice. Most teachers go on teaching. Each time they do this, it makes another line in their face. We must learn a new behavior in our teaching – we must learn to

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Invisibles Question

Here is a long response to a short question from Keri in Connecticut about the Invisibles that she asked way back in May of 2016: “My problem with the Invisibles is in coming up with “the problem” for the character. I know, the kids should be coming up with one, but if they don’t? If

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Two Reading Options

Here are two effective reading options that you might want to use when you start reading with your classes: Choral Translation: Use a laser pointer or put your hand on the projected words as the students read through the text in L1 with loud voices. The Reader Leader guides the class along with a strong

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Tripp On NT

Jim Tripp recently wrote a tour de force list of what NT can mean. Non-targeted input can mean: (1) going in without a plan and winging it. (2) putting the message before the language. (3) keeping input comprehensible by sheltering, not targeting. (4) massed reps over time versus input flood. (5) in assessment, recognizing that

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Make It Home

I envisage for this internet space a closed community of teaching professionals who are willing to explore their feelings and fears in this work at a deeper level via honesty with each other when real things happen, good and bad, in our buildings. The real thrust of this consciously stated new direction for our PLC is a

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Setting Boundaries -1

Administrators play a big role in our job security, and yet they come and go in and out of our buildings with such frequency, sometimes yearly or even less, that no sooner does one leave than another arrives. Then we have to put the dog-and-pony show on again for the new one, and stuff our real feelings

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