by, Ellen A. Thompson, Ed. D., Thoughts from a Longtime educator… I left teaching my multiage, primary classroom in 1999.  The very same year that I applied for and received my National Board Certification.  As I sit at my computer these 23 years later, I find myself often thinking about

A new blogpost by Melanie Stultz-Backus, PLL, Literacy Consultant Pied Beauty          By Gerard Manley Hopkins, 1877 Glory be to God for dappled things–    For skies of couple-color as a brinded cow;       For rose-moles all in stipple upon trout that swim; Fresh-firecoal chestnut-falls; finches’ wings;    

Teaching the Child: What I Learned as a Multiage Teacher Ellen A. Thompson, Ed.D It is true. I was a multiage teacher. More importantly, I was a multiage teacher by choice. I taught two grades at once andthen graduated to a three grade span classroom. I learned so much from

How can short poetry forms be mentor texts for metaphorical thinking? ~ Melanie Stultz-Backus Most teachers have asked their students, from earliest grades through secondary school, to read and write Haiku.  There are many short poetic forms, from epigrams to cinquains to clerihews to “Nashers”  that can help students move

Musings by Ellen A. Thompson, Ed.D. “The kids did nothing wrong.  The whole world stopped in March of 2020 for everybody.” I have made this statement a dozen times if not more, often after hearing teachers exclaim how low their students are this year. The children are where they are.  Start