Gayle Robert

Christmas Tree Memories

Christmas Tree Memories Yesterday was a long day for me as I decorated my Christmas tree. The reason it took so long was because I took the time to pause and reflect on the many ornaments I placed on the tree. Feelings of nostalgia crept into my soul and it felt great strolling down memory lane. You see, I still hang up ornaments from my childhood, my dad’s first ornament, the ones my students gave

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WELCOME TO MY WORLD

Welcome to my world! It’s the world of a newly retired teacher whose heart is still in the classroom. You’ve heard that saying, “Once a teacher, always a teacher.” Well it is completely TRUE! For some time now, I have been toying with the idea of writing a blog. It’s not that I am this great writer or anything–because I am not. It’s just that I have things to say and share! For my recent

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Making the World or (Your Workplace) Better

In Responsive Classroom, we have guiding principles which are the foundation to an approach and philosophy for teaching and learning. I’ve recently reflected on one principle in particular– How we work together as adults to create a safe, joyful, and inclusive school environment is as important as our own individual contributions or competence. When I think about this one, I am reminded of how important it is for us to support one another, share our

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What We Say… and How We Say It… Matters

Recently while presenting a Responsive Classroom workshop, a lively discussion centered on classroom management and teacher language took front and center stage. A simple question was posed to the group. “Think about something a teacher said to you when you were in school. It can be at any age, any grade.” There were a few moments of silent reflection going on until I posed the questions, “How many of you have a memory about a

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Keeping Rules Front and Center During the Winter Slump

Recently I noticed my first graders having more trouble than usual sticking to our classroom rules. Several possible explanations came to mind as I began to reflect: “Am I not doing something I should be doing, such as giving reinforcing feedback when I see the children following procedures? Am I not proactively reminding them of our rules so as to set them up for success before an activity? Or is it just that it’s been

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