At school~ there seems to be a committee for everything.
Improvement~ remediation~ reading~ leadership~ and the list goes on.
What you dont often find at schools~ however~ is a team of people that are focused on enrichment for children.
I think its safe to say that the major focus in recent years is helping to improve test scores and performance among the lower achieving students. While~ of course~ thats a very worthy goal~ there also needs to be a focus on providing...

Today~February 12 is Abraham Lincoln's actual birthday.

President Abraham Lincoln was president through the four years of the Civil War(1861-1865) He had promised in his election campaign that if elected~ he'd end slavery. What you may not know is that President Lincoln started our national Thanksgiving holiday. He issued a proclamation saying that the last Thursday of each year would be a...

Ive heard it said that if you really want to learn something~ teach it to others.
This concept has really hit home for me~ now that I have begun mentoring aspiring teachers.
Having recently taken on an intern from a local university~ I have been forced to reconsider my methods and knowledge as an educator. Truth be told~ you cant teach someone else to be effective if dont have your own act together.
As I observe the intern and provide feedback~ I am subconsciously...

Most of us have had Jane in our class. Shes focused. She learns fast~ finishes her work early.

Shes a good sport~ willing to help other students in class. She runs errands. She completes enrichment worksheets.

But if were honest with ourselves as educators~ the question becomes:

What do we do with her?

One answer is the independent study project. It is a fantastic method to challenge even the most advanced learner or gifted child. And once you master the steps...