A local's guide to the best Yucatecan food you must try when visiting the Yucatan Peninsula! The authentic spices and flavors used in traditional Yucatan foods and Yucatecan cuisine. Don’t miss these 10 traditional Yucatan dishes! Click for local recommended Yucatan food list!

How Do Pine Cones Open and Close? This student led science experiment is a fascinating and quick learning activity that the entire family will enjoy!

We discuss Costa Rica’s education system, how it has been and continues to be an example for the world, and why it's perfect for a student trip!

Foolproof tips for an authentic Bucatini Cacio e Pepe recipe! Most Cacio e Pepe recipes are not traditional Roman recipes and should really be called Italian Mac and Cheese. This recipe uses the traditional 3 ingredients and method to make a creamy authentic Cacio e Pepe without cheating or making a

Looking for an extensive Dubrovnik travel guide? Here are my local Dubrovnik Guide for everything you need to know about planning your trip.

Sporer Salzburg is a must visit for a true taste of authentic schnapps. Sporer Schnapps is in the heart of Salzburg and will not disappoint!

Make sure to save this delicious cherry-o-cream cheese pie. It's a family favorite and perfect for summer desserts.

“Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow” ~~Kurt Vonnegut

Mini muffins are always a hit and these were gone within 10 minutes!  These mini applesauce muffins are so light and fluffy with a little sugar and cinnamon on top!  YUM!

Landlocked in the center of Maine encompassing both Piscataquis and Penobscot county is The Maine Highlands region. Last weekend my friends and I had the chance to explore this beautiful region, on…

A person only has to spend 5 minutes in the company of a middle schooler to find out they LOVE to argue. And if someone is going to encourage them to argue

Author-Illustrator School Visit with Kindergarten AUTHENTIC Art Response to picture books!

I have been planning this for years! When we moved from Nashville, we were headed to Portugal. That was two years ago. My dad was sick, and in need of a kidney and care, so we changed our plans. He had a ton of friends, but no consistent and reliable support to care for him and I knew if we didn't s

As a woman, you might have been convinced you need to commodify your personal life and vulnerabilities on social media to grow a business. But if you're a feminine led soul, an introvert or a sensitive being, this can feel overwhelming and toxic on your energetic system. Social media platforms like

Making homemade vanilla extract is so easy and perfect to add to your cookies and cakes. You only need two ingredients to get started.

Level of deliciousity of 10. I mean, there wasn't even any complaining from the teen about it being dairy-free or veggie-filled. Even he loved my Dairy-Free and Egg-Free Vegan Lasagna. And that is a feat.

Every descriptive thesaurus we create starts here on the blog as an experiment. Basically, we explore a topic for up to a year, and post by post, build a collection of entries that writers can use to brainstorm certain elements of their story & strengthen show-don’t-tell skills. Depending on the topic and how much time […]

Nerd alert... I like research. The longer I teach the more I like it. More about that below. :o) We are, like everyone else this time of year, trying to get our kinder kids talking. They talk all day of course, but trying to get them talking in complete sentences, asking quesitons and engaging in meaningful academic conversations is....possible! I like words. I like talking with inflection and expression. Let's face it, when I am in my classroom, alone with my little friends, I am an actress on stage with my captive audience. :o) The more animated I talk, teach, read, sing... etc., the more engaged they are. The more engaged they are, the more purposeful and authentic their conversations are. Student engagement and student to student interaction are SO intermingled. It would seem to me that you really can't have one without the other. I am BIG on kids talking together. When I am teaching I probably pose a question to them at least 6 or 7 times during a lesson, sometimes more. "Turn and ask your partner what they noticed about the ......"(partners talk) "Who can raise your hand and tell me in a complete sentence what you and your partner discussed?" (Model sentence frame... "My partner and I noticed that......") We do this so many times a day during every content area, it is just the normal. I walk around as they talk. I listen, encourage, but mostly listen. I am not big on contrived conversations.... (peaunut butter/jelly's etc.). I've done it in the past, it's just not my preference. I just find that my kids are better at talking in a more natural way, meaning that I don't ask the person who is taller to talk first, or the jelly's, or the person with the longest hair. We just turn to our partners and take turns asking,talking, listening. Like normal people do. They really can do it, but it does take lots of modeling, prompting, support and practice. At the beginning of the year I do lots of modeling with stuffed animals. This year it is Piglet and Kanga. They had problems being partners at first, but they are getting much better. Piglet is finally learning that he (he is a boy, right?) can't always talk first, and Kanga is learning that she has to be a good listener when her partner is talking. Thank goodness they are getting the hang of it so they can show the kids what to do! ;o) Now they are learning to give compliments to each other and to occasionally be asked to raise their hand and share something great their partner shared or behaved duringa conversation (LOVE the look on the partner's face :o) when they do this. Back to my nerdy love of research. I liked this article about engagement from Beyond the Journal and I thought you might like it too! (Using Engagement Strategies to Facilitate Children's Learning and Success by Judy Jablon and Michael Wilkinson, Young Children, NAEYC, March 2006). Here's the link: Using Engagement Strategies to Facilitate Children's Learning and Success

It's fall, so it's time for chili. This delicious butternut squash chili recipe is perfect for those cool nights to warm you up.

Today I'm happy to welcome Tanya Kirschman, a counseling colleague and reader from Montana who has just recently been checking in at the Corner and always has a kind word to leave behind. Tanya is the school counselor at Highland Elementary in Billings, Montana. She has a B.S. in Elementary Education and a Master’s Degree with certification in School Counseling from Montana State University - Billings. She has over 15 years experience as a primary teacher and school counselor. Born and raised in Montana, Tanya is happily married to her pilot husband and feels blessed to be “mom” to her two handsome sons and beautiful daughter. I feel doubly blessed, once because Tanya agreed to share a lesson with us and twice because . . . it's a lesson on empathy! Empathy in a (Shoe) Box by Tanya Kirschman With four pairs of shoes, you can make a lasting impression on students about empathy. I hide the shoes in mismatched boxes to build the mystery and excitement about what is inside. What is inside? One holds a pair of women’s fuzzy slippers, one a heavy pair of adult snow boots. Another box has a pair of dirty football cleats, and the last (tiny) box holds a pair of toddler sneakers. I purchased all of these shoes at the local thrift store - inexpensive, and you can be really creative with the selection of shoes you’ll find there! To begin my lesson, I announce that we are going to learn about empathy, and I define empathy as “putting yourself in someone else’s shoes," or thinking about how they (as an individual) would feel if they were in the same situation as the person they are watching or interacting with. I randomly select a student to come to the front of the class and choose a shoebox. The chosen student must take off his or her own shoes and put on the shoes from the box (except for the toddler shoes which are held their hands). A written scenario is glued to the inside top of the box and read out loud by me or the student. For example, the situation presented with the boots is, “The person wearing these boots is running outside to play in the snow with her friends. When she gets to them, they tell her she can’t play. How do you think she feels? If you saw this happen, what could you do or say to make her feel better?” The chosen student answers the questions and a class dialogue about empathy begins. Topics discussed include understanding others'’ feelings by reading facial and body expressions and thinking about how we, ourselves, might feel in a situation. Many times a student will put on the shoes, listen to the scenario, and say, "But I am a girl and these are boy shoes. I don't know how a boy would feel." Or, "But I'm a third grader and these are baby shoes; I don't know how a baby would feel." Students are taught they they may never fully understand how another person is feeling because we all have differences from one another, but that they should always try to understand. The second step of showing empathy is acknowledging the person's feelings. By simply stating, "You must feel _________," the person will feel heard and understood or have a chance to clarify how they are, in fact, feeling. The third and final step is: Do something to help. Offer help or friendship to the person who may be feeling left out, upset, frustrated or sad. Appropriate responses about that person‘s needs based on how we would want to be treated are explored at this time. Continue until each pair of shoes has been worn and discussed. Students remember what empathy means in later lessons because they’ve literally put themselves in someone else’s shoes! Other resources I use with this activity are: Arnie and the New Kid by Nancy Carlson (book) A Sunburst video entitled Put Yourself In Someone Else's Shoes: Building Character Scenarios for which students have to write how they would respond to the person’s comment. For example, “I lost the watch my uncle gave me.” and a response might be, “You must feel upset. Would you like me to help you look for it?” ************ Thanks again, Tanya! Your post reminded me of the book One Thousand Tracings by Lita Judge that would beautifully extend your lesson! UPDATE: Need a few more scenarios? Click {here} to read how this lesson went with my kiddos.

Teach students about communities in an authentic way with Busytown! Each students chooses and practices a job in the community, and then invite parents!

Sensory stories can be a great way to support children with special educational needs. We all learn from our senses everyday. A child with sensory impairments or physical disabilities may...

To teach critical thinking, consider applying six definitions of that discipline to the practices of authentic inquiry, PBL, and integrated studies.

Pecan Chews (or pecan pralines) are the perfect fall and holiday candy.  These soft, sweet and nutty treats are sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Looking for new places to visit in the USA? Here are four amazing states you need to add to your must-see list. These states rock natural beauty, and awesome urban life.

Looking for a place to travel with your family, then add summer time in Puerto Vallarta with kids to your list. You will love the warm and calm beach waters

Make learning fun for your students! Strategies, activities, freebies and more for teachers, tutors and homeschoolers. Ideas you can use today!

The best Spanish translator apps and websites offer handy features like audio pronunciation, speech translation and more. They can come to the rescue when you're in a bind while abroad or boost your skills as you learn the language. Check out these 22 translation tools to prepare you for any Spanish-speaking situation!

Disney Dreaming? A few weeks ago my family and I visited Walt Disney World and we had the best trip ever! I mean, who doesn't love Disney? From the magic, rides, sweet treats, delicious food, character experiences and shows, my kids have been begging to visit the Disney Parks in Orlando. I am...

Finding peace and happiness is seeded by the realization of certain fundamental truths...

Painting a room is easy if you know how to do it. Here are some easy-to-follow instructions for the average person on how to paint a room.

Homemade southern biscuits and gravy are so quick and easy to make. It's the perfect breakfast recipe any time of year.

9 YEARS OF REMISSION! I realized today that this is the LONGEST REMISSION I’ve ever been in! I spent so much of my life in pain. Never knowing when the...

Don't just drive through Ocala the next time you visit Florida. Check out these top things to do in Ocala with teenagers for an authentic vacation.

Why should you visit Naples? Let’s tackle this question first before we move to the super awesome things to do in Naples.

Here's a quick and simple red, white, and blue fruit salsa recipe that is the perfect appetizer to serve this Independence Day. It is sweet and tart and pairs perfectly with the salty Freedom Chips {if you like salty and sweet combos you will LOVE this!}.

I went to a new restaurant in town and was reminded how much I love soup. So I made this  Simple Seafood Ramen Soup that's to DIE for.

My first video looks at how to authentically include minority and indigenous perspectives into your classroom! There is a handout that goes along with the resource too you can find it here The Video covers -Why to include indigenous views -A quick recap of the developmental features of the 3-6 and 6-12 child referrin

What do you do with all those holiday leftovers? Here's a fun recipe for your leftover cranberry sauce- CRANBERRY BUTTERMILK PANCAKES! Yum!!

Positivity Sparkles is a blog that teaches people how to live a positive, confident, and happy lifestyle by incorporating useful practices on a daily basis such as optimism and gratitude