Bilmor Learning

Let's face it. Grading essays can be a pain! But effective assessment can be greatly simplified when you implement an easy-to-use Writing Rubric that students can clearly understand. Bilmor Learning's Writing Rubric reflects “6 + 1 Trait Writing,” a highly-effective form of writing instruction that fits well with most State Standards. It was developed to help students evaluate both their own writing and the writing of their peers. To use the Writing Rubric, simply circle the section in eac

Struggling readers, including those who exhibit the characteristics of Dyslexia, often benefit from specific classroom accommodations. This list of Classroom Accommodations includes evidence-based strategies for meeting these students' needs. It includes suggestions for classroom management, general instruction, reading, writing, testing, and homework. Teachers are encouraged to incorporate these strategies on a regular basis since they have the potential to benefit all struggling learners.

The underlying goal of all instruction is to move children from total dependency on teachers and parents to self-sufficiency. But that’s often a giant leap! This Gradual Release Model graphically represents how that process takes place. It's based on the pioneering work of Piaget (cognitive structures, 1952), Bandura (attention/retention, 1965), Vygotsky (ZPD, 1978), and Wood, Bruner, Ross (scaffolding, 1976). The “gradual” part may take a day, a week, a few months, or even years … but the obj

If you want to start an immediate controversy, bring up the subject of homework! Most teachers (and many researchers) have strongly-held views … either for or against. “Pro” teachers believe that meaningful, carefully-planned homework has the potential to enhance the overall learning experience for their students. But such homework must also be balanced, reasonable, and implemented in a coordinated way district-wide. Yet according to researchers, often this is not what occurs in actual practice

Classroom observations are a vital component in maintaining and improving instruction! This Classroom Observation Form is designed to help you quickly focus your observations on the most meaningful elements of instruction. The Learning Cycle section reflects Schmoker's Effective Teaching model. Additional sections include Classroom Environment, Communication, Instructional Practices, and Technology. The simple checklist-based format is a single page (front and back), allowing you to quickly a