TL;DR: Are you aware of the emotions present within your classroom environment? Educators are taught to focus on action rather than on feeling the emotions below the surface. The core emotions are fear, anger, sadness, shame, jealousy, disgust, happiness, and love. Identify and unpack emotions so you can take care of yourself. Instead of putting “I am” before a feeling … Read More
Growth is a Lifelong Endeavor
TL;DR: Teachers don’t just give children the tools they need to succeed in life. They give them the tools they need for lifelong GROWTH. Stagnation is not an option and growth is a lifelong endeavor. This post shares what Education Blueprint means to Laura. I am not a teacher. I don’t have a teaching degree. And I haven’t spent a … Read More
ISJ and ISNB Introduction
TL;DR: Science is a messy process that leads to understanding. Students need to learn and appreciate the messy process in addition to the end result. Interactive science journals (ISJ) and interactive science notebooks (ISNB) are tools that will help students understand the difference between the process and the end result. “Take chances, make mistakes, get MESSY!” – Ms. Frizzle, The … Read More
Why the Label LTEL Can Be Problematic
TL;DR: Assigning labels (such as Long Term English Learner) to students can often stigmatize, otherize, or further marginalize them. We don’t need to fix or change our students. We need to change our systems and our mindsets. There has been a phrase used in the multilingual education space called LTEL, or Long Term English Learner. It has come up more … Read More
Unmasking the Fears of Communicating with EL Parents
TL;DR: أهلا بك…欢迎…bienvenido….welcome! We can empower ourselves and improve relationships by taking action to empower our EL parents. Learn the preferred language spoken at home for EL parents. Below are three great translation resources you can access to help communicate with EL parents rather than asking a family friend or sibling to help communicate. “Andrea, you HAVE to be at … Read More
