Shelly Morrill

Elementary Instructional Coach, life-long learner, advocate for teachers and students

[Shelly Morrill @ShellyMorrill]

@davelackie win

[dave lackie @davelackie]

This week's luxe beauty giveaway is Clinique's Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm in shade 'fuller fig'. It's packed with moisturizing ingredients. To enter, follow @davelackie & RT #win (ends 05/22)

[Shelly Morrill @ShellyMorrill]

@laylasleep I made lunch for my mom :)

[Shelly Morrill @ShellyMorrill]

@Learning_Ally “All the Things” I saw that a lot at school but never anywhere else.

[Shelly Morrill @ShellyMorrill]

@SmoreNewsletter I nominate Emily Mooney, Nora Hawkins, Jill Hall, and Liz Garcia.

[Shelly Morrill @ShellyMorrill]

@CrazyVibes_1 Incredible craftsmanship!!

[Shelly Morrill @ShellyMorrill]

@AmyMek Gov. Abbott, please make this stop!

[Shelly Morrill @ShellyMorrill]

@GregAbbott_TX This is a great start, but please do more. I am so scared of these barbarians taking over. We are not safe

[Mr PitBull Stories @MrPitbull07]

"I’m 79. My name’s Agnes. I walk to Oakwood Elementary every Tuesday and Thursday at 2:45 p.m. Not for my grandkids, I don’t have any. I go for them. The kids waiting for parents who are late. Again.

It started three years ago. I saw Miguel sitting alone on the school’s concrete steps, tracing math problems in the dirt with a stick. His mom worked double shifts at the canning factory. His homework was smudged with tears.

I didn’t say much. Just pulled a folding chair from my tote bag (I carry it everywhere, bad knees) and sat beside him. "Show me where you’re stuck, mijo," I said. He flinched like I’d startled a bird. But he showed me.

I was a teacher for 42 years. Fractions, state capitals, how to hold a pencil, I know them like my own heartbeat. That day, we solved 3 problems in the dirt. When his mom finally rushed up, breathless and apologizing, I just nodded. "He’s got a good mind," I told her. Her eyes got wet. Not from sadness. From being seen.

Next week, I brought my old teacher’s stool and a clipboard. Set up under the oak tree across from the school gates. No sign. No fanfare. Just me, my red pen, and a jar of butterscotch candies.

Kids started coming. Not all at once. First Miguel. Then Aisha, whose dad’s truck broke down again. Jamal, who whispered, "My grandma’s sick." I never asked why parents were late. I just opened my clipboard.

Some days, I only helped one child. Other days, five crowded around my stool. I taught multiplication tables while braiding Maya’s hair. Showed Leo how to write his name in cursive on a foggy window. Never took money. Never called the school. This wasn’t their job. It was ours.

Then came Mrs. Chen. She stood at the edge of the sidewalk for weeks, watching her daughter Linh hover near my bench but never approach. One rainy Thursday, Mrs. Chen finally walked over. Her hands shook. "I failed school," she admitted in broken English. "I can’t help her." I slid my stool aside. "Sit," I said. "Today, you do the math. I’ll hold the umbrella."

Last month, the principal found me packing up in the rain. "We’ve had complaints," he said gently. "About ‘unauthorized tutoring.’" I braced for the end. But then Linh ran over, dragging her mother. Aisha brought her little brother. Miguel stood tall beside his mom, the one who once cried on the steps. Twelve parents and kids formed a circle around my soggy stool. "This bench stays," Miguel told the principal. "Or we all leave."

Today, the PTA provides the folding chairs. Retired nurses check kids’ ears for infections. A barber gives free trims. But the homework bench? That’s still mine.

Last Tuesday, Linh placed a college acceptance letter on my clipboard. "You taught me numbers," she said. "But you taught Mama something bigger." She pointed to Mrs. Chen, now helping a boy sound out words. "You taught us we’re not broken."

I packed up my red pen that night, my hands steady for the first time in years. Here’s what nobody tells you about growing old, The world doesn’t need your savings or your spare room. It needs your stubborn, ordinary love. Show up. Sit down. Make space. The rest will grow around you like wildflowers through concrete.”

Let this story reach more hearts....

By Mary Nelson

[Shelly Morrill @ShellyMorrill]

@JohnnyWhiskyTX Please don’ let this happen in Texas

[Shelly Morrill @ShellyMorrill]

@BarronTxNewsX Amen

[Shelly Morrill @ShellyMorrill]

@EatAbuelos @rileyem @bonnimd

[Stephanie Howell @mrshowell24]

Want to teach routines and build critical thinking? Try this “Do as I say, not as I do” activity.
👀 Students watch you model (with intentional mistakes!)
📝 They catch & correct the errors
🎯 Then practice the routine the right way!
https://t.co/qhe8wscXxU

[Brendan O'Sullivan 🇮🇪🇪🇺 @ImtaBrendan]

I have this on the door of my classroom.

[Brendan O'Sullivan 🇮🇪🇪🇺 @ImtaBrendan]

Supporting Neurodivergent students in the Classroom - Heather Aird

[PBLWorks @PBLWorks]

The TAG Critique Protocol can be used in any grade or subject!
Students and teachers love its simplicity and how it scaffolds the development of essential critique skills.

Try it out in your next project, and let us know how it goes!
https://t.co/QBUsF7yh7f

[Pam Harris @pwharris]

"Smudge" problems, where we show "student" work and ask students to fill in the smudges

But then importantly, craft a conversation about what the strategies have in common
What do you think these help build?
https://t.co/Wc6qq09pTl

#MathIsFigureOutAble #MTBoS #ITeachMath

[Stephanie Howell @mrshowell24]

🚨 ELA Teachers!
Give your students a creative twist on comprehension 🧠✨
Use this Alternate Ending organizer to explore character growth and plot changes. What if the main character NEVER changed? How would the story end?
https://t.co/sz2ZGgPpCX

[Principal Project @PrincipalProj]

💡 Staff meeting idea: Invite your team to use ChatGPT to discuss and unpack learning standards – then debrief the experience together.

⬇️ Check out the tool from educator @plugusin:

https://t.co/WunPZpUOJD

[Kyle Niemis 🔜 #ISTE26 @KyleNiemis]

New free resource sheet 🚨

This one's for all the 5th grade teachers and those who support 5th grade teachers. It's the most popular Wayground (formerly Quizizz) activities of all time, organized by subject and ranked, and completely free😀

https://t.co/DC9tT0tHiS

I hope this can be helpful for you all! We're creating new resources every week, so keep your eyes peeled!
@waygroundai