Monthly Portable Word Walls

To help my students acquire more vocabulary I use monthly word walls that I put in the writing center and in their writing folders.  These pages have monthly related words/theme related words with pictures to help them use the words in context when writing.  They really do help students with their vocabulary because they are using them as they write.  

I also have a monthly words poster set that I have had for years and put that next to the interactive word wall we use for sight words.  

My goal this year is make a page for each month using more multicultural visuals and more relevant pictures for my students.  When I finish those I will post and put them in my TPT store.  

Twitter Teachers to Follow: Building My ELL PLN

I have been dabbling in the Twitter World and I have finally figure it all out...not...but I do have some great people I follow that are now in my ELL Professional Learning Network.  You should follow them, too!

Here is my Top 10 List (not in any particular order):

1. https://twitter.com/ESOL_Odyssey
2. https://twitter.com/teachbetterteam
3. https://twitter.com/kidworldcitizen
4. https://twitter.com/dmarigutierrez
5. https://twitter.com/monstar_01
6. https://twitter.com/Ready4rigor
7. https://twitter.com/TanELLclassroom
8. https://twitter.com/ESOLSpecialist
9. https://twitter.com/MsSalvaC
10. https://twitter.com/gardnerkb1

Culturally Responsive Teaching

Culturally Responsive Teaching Questions:

• What do I notice?
• details to be noticed
• culture is important
• go beyond noticings; ask questions
• How do I teach?
• bridge the gap
• lift them up to grade-level standards
• How do I feel?
• everyone is human...be careful of biases
• reflect on how you feel about diversity
• high expectations for all learners
• What do I say?
• questions asked?
• no stereotypes
• no offhand remarks/comments
• positive and culturally sensitive relations with parents
• What do I know?
• correctly pronounce their names
• sources of cultural diversity in class
• what do I know/need to know about the cultures in my classroom?
• What materials do I use?
• mentor texts
• multicultural books and materials
• do my students see themselves in the materials I choose?

Welcome to the Garden

Hi everyone!

This is my blog about teaching and learning.  I am so excited about this journey to become a better educator and I am hoping this blog will help me do just that.

Come back frequently...my goal is to post weekly and sometimes more as the year progresses.  I will also be posting about my NBCT journey as I continue to pursue that! I hope you join me on this incredible journey of learning and becoming  an amazing teacher!