I have been a 1-4 elementary teacher in the public schools of Brookline for over 33 years. Presently, I am a permanent ELL substitute for students in grades 3-5 in Newton, MA. I have taught hundreds of students how to read and write and think. In 2009, I won the Outstanding Social Studies Elementary Teacher of the Year from the National Council of Social Studies. Choosing engaging, interesting texts, both fiction and non-fiction, is the way to "hook" the students. Asking students to leave tracks of their thinking while they read - ask questions, offer text-to-self connections, react, and make inferences, is the key to read with comprehension.
I have prepared many students to write superlative sequential narratives which include dialogue, synonyms, similes, and the internal story. Writing with focus and detail is imperative! I have also prepared students to research from a variety of sources and paraphrase their notes to write an expository piece. I integrate technology with any subject that I teach. I have learned the best of pedagogy from active participation in professional development around the country, and have integrated the best of what I have learned to meet the needs of my students. I take pride that I have taught my students to love literacy, and to think critically as they read and write.
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