Rita Mercado, First Grade Teacher, Serendipity School The idea of having parents come into the classroom can be overwhelming at times, but it is an important step in having them gain an understanding of the learning that happens throughout the day that isn’t able to be sent home in the form of checked work or…

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By Elisha Burns, RAFT Fellow Let me be one of the first to say there is an elephant in the room of education and it is called content knowledge.  As a teacher that has spent a few years teaching I can honestly say that the new Common Core curriculum has really opened my eyes to…

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By Earlene Coleman B.A.,M.Ed   It can be a little unsettling when you think you’re teaching the perfect lesson and actually very few students are paying attention.  Teaching has often been called a “noble profession,” one requiring diligence, patience, and a great sense of humor. At times it has been called “art.” However, for those…

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By Betty Ko, Director, Lovely Taiwan Foundation Tricycles made of chairs from bus and classroom In the center of a busy and bustling Taipei, lies a cleverly titled building called the Creative Reuse Center (CRC). The CRC is a place that’s based on creativity as well as sustainability – two features that are extremely important to…

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By Courtney Hunter, Resource Specialist As Common Core is being integrated in every classroom amongst all grade levels, it is leaving some parents and children feeling baffled, perplexed, and many times, lost. With the new California Common Core methods students have yet to learn the techniques of looking at Math as a puzzle or unique…

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By Jeanne Lazzarini, Math Master Educator/R&D Specialist, RAFT I have often shared with my students that I make mistakes, and I have learned so much because of them! Sometimes I even purposefully made a mistake in a math lesson to see if students take notice! Let your students know it is okay to make mistakes,…

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By Jeanne Lazzarini, Math Master Educator/R&D Specialist, RAFTHow does math relate to real life?  One way is to take a look at the shape of a cloud, a mountain, a coastline, or a tree!  You might be surprised to find that many patterns in nature, called fractals, including growth patterns, have very peculiar mathematical properties…

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By Earlene Coleman, Special Education M.A. After teaching Special Education for twenty-five years, I’ve found that sharing personal stories with my students helps build positive relationships. How NOT to be around your students Now that the school year is off to a start, teachers are busy getting to know all their students. However, spend some…

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