Thank You, Mr. Falker

Feeling Stressed? Easy-to-Use Stress-Busting Tips This posting is for all teachers, no matter when your school year ends. Whether you have packed your last book, handed out report cards, and said your final goodbyes, or are in the throes of winding down, packing up your classroom, and feeling overwhelmed, this post is for you. Every year comes with its own set of highs and lows. Recently I've been reflecting on this school year. During my reflection of this school year, I thought about what tools or strategies I called upon to get me through those TOUGH days. 10. 9. 8. 7. 6. 5. 4. 3. 2. Last, but certainly not least, the number one stress-buster is . . . 1. These work for me. Do you have any stressbusters that work for you?

Professional Resources That Help With the Lesson Planning Process Preparing lesson plans can be overwhelming. I can remember during my first years of teaching when my entire weekend would be centered on my weekly lesson plans. Imagine curling up with teaching guides or making a date with grading papers. And let me not forget my favorite — the ultimate best — writing my lesson plans by hand. This process can become extremely time consuming without the right resources. My professional library is full of books and I have my favorites. Strategies That Work by Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis Reading and Language Arts Worksheets – Don’t Grow Dendrites by Marcia L. Strategies That Work My principal, Eileen Brett, first introduced me to this book. Reading and Language Arts Worksheets – Don’t Grow Dendrites In November of 2013, I attended the New Jersey Education Association teacher's convention in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Revisiting The Reading Workshop In my opinion, this is a must have for every literacy classroom. The Book Whisperer

Making Inferences Making inferences is a skill by which students are often evaluated on state reading tests. Additionally, according to Bloom's Taxonomy, analyzing implications is a higher order reading skill than comprehending text. Therefore, good readers make inferences. Inferences are related to implications; in fact, they are the same thing. The area between what is clearly stated and what is understood is much contended. So, did Kevin make the team? Review Making inferences is more difficult than understanding and locating information in a text, but it is something that good readers do.