Teaching with Fire, Finesse and Swag 

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As educators we often question our reasons for doing what we do. I have questioned myself on countless occasions, especially in the wee hours of the morning when I am trying to finish a project, provide that precisely worded differentiated feedback, respond to an email or find that just right professional development activity. 
The answer lies somewhere in this quote by William Butler Yeats, "Education is not  the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire."  Educators with passion and purpose recognize their unique calling of seeding and firing. Imagine a spark ignited in a forest and instead of squashing it quickly (because we are scared of losing control), we deliberately fan it to a flame.  Then imagine nurturing that flame into a full on blaze. Well maybe not in a forest, but  transfer that imagery to a child's naturally inquisitive mind. This is Unbridled POWER!!!  
 Let's purposefully set afire the hearts and minds of our children; set border-less fires that transcend place and station, race and nation, gender and culture. Purpose driven teachers set the world on fire, one laser focused lesson at a time!  P.A.

Smart Teacher STAAR Resources 

MATH  RESOURCES
Envisions
Rocket Math
Reasoning Minds
Think Through Math
Staar Ready Math
Kamico
I - Ready
I Ready Webinars
I Station
Work Station Resources
Maps Test Webinar
IXL Math
Learn Zillion
Multiplication 
Strategies

Turtle Head


Lattice
More 
Math 
Strategies

Model
Drawing 
Videos
LANGUAGE ARTS RESOURCES
Journeys Think Central
Empowering Writers
Lucy Caulkins
Comprehension Toolkit
Rigby
Kamico
STAAR Ready Reading
I - Ready
Big IQ Kids Vocabulary
Maps Test Webinars
Maps Data
IXL Language Arts


VOCABULARY RESOURCES


BIG IQ KIDS
THINK THROUGH MATH INFO
  • Think Through Math is a Texas state funded, online adaptive math instruction for students in grades 3 through Algebra 1.
  • Personalised
  • Data Driven
  • Online Help for students
  • Aligned to TEKS and prepares students for STAAR.

Click for Recorded Professional Development Webinars
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Online Books
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5 Pillars 
of 
Reading 
and 
Literacy


Reading in Primary Classroom
PictureInternational Digital Student Library
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New Teacher Survival Guide
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Top 100 Web 2. 0
The 
Differentiated 
Classroom

                                            DYSLEXIA & TECHNOLOGY

Learning Ally
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Read Write Think
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Awesome Vocabulary Practice
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Reading Practice
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Multiplication Practice
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Starfall - Early Literacy
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Just the Facts

Summer Reading Glide 2013

Summer Time Reads 
Summer Reading Assignment
Summer Memoir Writing 
Summer Novel Pick
Summer Author Study

Walter Dean Myers: Author

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Walter Dean Myers is a prolific authors of countless children's books including
Bad Boy-  his memoir of his childhood in Harlem circa 1940s
Bad Boy is a great Summer Time read for students in the middle grades. Click on the links on the left for book related activities.

DIGITAL STORYTELLING

Digital storytelling is an excellent way to encourage reluctant writers to produce powerful narratives. Using a multimedia approach students can express themselves in creative ways. 

Digital Storytelling Tips and Resources

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Click Pic for more Tips
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