The Expectation of Kindergarteners
September, for teachers, is a time for new. It is a time where things begin and a new start is planned, imagined and anticipated. For…
Tag: literacy
Sharing Strawberries
In the spring, because our third graders had become so engaged with statistics of our global population, we decided to share some of the Material World…
The Power of Illusion
The opinion piece is a famously third grade writing assignment. It is, in fact, Common Core English Language Arts Standard 3.1: “Write opinion pieces…
Exploring Opal School’s Goals and Expectations for Students: Part 1
One important document that lives inside the family handbook that goes home at the beginning of each year is Opal School’s goals and expectations for…
Supporting Habits of Heart and Mind in New Terrain
Since “retiring”, Opal School Founder Judy Graves has been busy continuing her efforts to inspire greater educational opportunity for all children. Here’s her report on her…
Write of Way
The late-season heirloom tomatoes were stunning in their gowns of scarlet red and golden yellow. The last of the summer raspberries rested quietly alongside mounds…
Children and Teachers: Co-Researchers of Literacy
At Opal School we are discovering that literacy development is strongest when a learner has rich and varied experiences. Literacy is how we interpret our…
Sharing what matters
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” Martin Luther King, Jr. In observance of the Martin Luther King,…
A crucial thing to know
We’re looking forward to hosting Opal School Visitation Days, when 80 teachers and administrators from seven states, the District of Columbia, and two Canadian provinces…
Reflection: “New Possibilities for Readers”
Vicki Vinton reads with Opal School students at the workshop. In contrast to the structure we’ve followed in previous workshops, this year (2014-15) we decided…