Mrs. P's "Be-a-Famous-Writer" Contest

As school gets back in session, encourage children to brush up on their creative writing skills. Mrs. P is offering a great opportunity to motivate kids to write and maybe even make a name for themselves while doing just that!

Mrsp.com is holding a story-writing contest for ages 4 to 13. The grand prize winners will have their stories ready by Mrs. P on her site, and original illustrations will even be created to bring the child's book to life! Visit: http://www.contest.mrsp.com/ for more details and the official rules. Entry dates are September 1 through October 15, so don't miss it.

Check out Mrs. P's site while you're there! It offers read-alongs, interactive books, games, and more: http://www.mrsp.com/

What Teachers Wish They Could Buy in Their Local Teacher Stores

I recently asked my Twitter followers what kinds of products they wished they had seen more of in their neighborhood teacher stores this back-to-school season. Their answers were right on the money! Here are a few:

• materials that make students truly think--which helps them understand, not just memorize.
• no more "stuff" for the sake of providing kids with stuff--materials that really help kids build and use their imaginations.
• no more rote flash cards and worksheets! Step. It. Up.
• real professional development books, fewer "old school" fill-in-the-blank workbooks
• tools that are compatible with interactive white boards

(About my Twitter followers: I have about 1075 followers--mostly classroom teachers and education-minded parents, but some are school administrators or technology specialists, employees of education organizations/non-profits, homeschoolers, and toy/education business owners.)


Wanna follow me on Twitter, too? http://twitter.com/WendyZZZZZZZZZZ