In this 30 minute webinar in partnership with English Learner Portal, I share 3 strategies for working with Long Term English Learners. Watch the Webinar
Beth SkeltonJanuary 29, 2018
Finding the right balance between freedom and constraints is a challenge for all teachers. Deciding how much to model, what project elements to require, and what to leave open to student choice can be daunting for teachers. In my personal experience, some limitations really do lead to more freedom. Constraints…
Beth SkeltonNovember 6, 2017
In the past few years, I have had the opportunity to provide professional development for many English as a Second Language (ESL)1 teachers. These specialists are now expected to take on more and more roles and be skilled in areas well beyond the classroom.
Beth SkeltonSeptember 5, 2017
I woke up this morning thinking, “It’s August 1 already!?!” My husband has affectionately labeled this time of year for me as ‘August Syndrome’ to describe the conflicting emotions I inevitably experience each year.
Beth SkeltonAugust 1, 2017
Finding the focal point for language and content instruction requires teachers to conduct ongoing experiments and closely observe how students are using language. When students struggle to explain a concept, teachers have to discern if they actually understand the concept but need language support, or if they still need support…
Beth SkeltonApril 12, 2017
“For all the correcting we do, directions we give, and rubrics we create about what good work looks like, students are often unclear about what they are aiming for until they actually see and analyze strong models." Ron Berger, Leaders of their own Learning
Beth SkeltonDecember 27, 2016
Last week I participated in a marimba camp with David Alderdice and Arlyn Deva of Embodying Rhythm. What I learned during the week of afternoon marimba lessons was much broader than the melody and chord lines to each of the three songs we worked on; I learned the importance of…
Beth SkeltonJune 30, 2016
Sometimes when I walk into a classroom, students have such a sense of focus and purpose, that they don’t even look up or notice me. I recently had the opportunity to observe a second grade science class that epitomized that kind of classroom. Located in a small, rural school district…
Beth SkeltonApril 9, 2016
When I returned to the U.S. in 2013 after teaching ESL for three years at the Bavarian International School in Germany, I began to hear the term close reading in every school I consulted with. I noticed many new books with close reading in the title; I heard teachers tell…
Beth SkeltonJune 24, 2015
“Mom, I got a 96 on the math test. What does that mean?” I had to laugh at my daughter’s innocent reaction to traditional grades and percentages after 11 years of schooling with alternative forms of feedback. Entering a traditional U.S. public school in Grade 10 gave her a bit…
Beth SkeltonJanuary 27, 2015
Following recipes is like following lesson plans: it works best if you know what the end product should be, but are prepared to modify and adjust along the way.
Beth SkeltonNovember 30, 2014
I’m not a gamer. I’ve seen kids and peers play Nintendo, X-box, and Candy Crush, but these electronic games have never enticed me. I’d much rather play a board game like Clue, a word game like Scrabble, or a card game like Rummy. I spend enough time using the computer…
Beth SkeltonOctober 19, 2014
Laughter echoed through the halls of the school as I walked toward the Fluency Fast Advanced Spanish class in Denver, Colorado earlier this month. My excitement for participating in this class grew with each step, as did my concerns that my intermediate Spanish level would not be sufficient. I knew…
Beth SkeltonJuly 25, 2014
Teacher effectiveness rubrics, teacher evaluation systems, multiple books and many professional development workshops attempt to answer the question: What makes an effective teacher? The recent push in the US to evaluate teachers based on strict rubrics and students’ results on standardized test scores has challenged me to think differently about…
Beth SkeltonMay 30, 2014
Why do the PARCC assessments require high school juniors in Colorado to take an additional 12 hours of standardized tests?
Beth SkeltonApril 13, 2014
Balance bikes hold an important key to the scaffolds we use in education: they develop the essential skills, not the basic skills, of biking.
Beth SkeltonMarch 7, 2014
Reviewing the table of questions and answers inspired the teacher to make changes in his class that will hopefully make a significant positive impact on students' ability to express their ideas clearly and justify their thinking. What do the questions and answers in your classroom reveal about students' thinking and…
Beth SkeltonFebruary 2, 2014
This brief example highlighted for me the truth about fluency: without comprehension, there is no fluency. I encourage teachers to make comprehension central to all their lessons, regardless of the skill or strategy they are teaching.
Beth SkeltonDecember 6, 2013