Merianna Harrelson

I am the Pastor of Garden of Grace United Church of Christ in Columbia, SC and the Director of Consulting at Harrelson.Co. I am always looking for a good cup of coffee and a great book.

Better PD

Isn’t it sad that we can all identify with the chart paper PD? That’s right.  This isn’t just your average “show up for a few hours and write on chart paper”-type training event.  ”Apple Cores” as we call them, are put through an intense experience of collaboration, sharing, and even….*gasp*…failing. This is one that so …

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Teaching Meritocracy

Not a bad idea with election season coming up: The program to reward high-performing teachers with salary stipends is part of a long-term effort by President Obama to encourage education in high-demand areas that hold the key to future economic growth — and to close the achievement gap between American students and their international peers. But this …

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A Flag

I saw a flag on the car that pulled out in front of me. It was one of those flags that you close into your window, but this one wasn’t to support a certain team. It was an American flag and as it blew in the wind, it reminded me of my grandparents’ car. They …

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What we don’t teach students

An incredible analysis of what is means to be a writer: Part of finding your own voice as a writer is finding your own grammar. Don’t spend your career lost in a sea of copycats when you can establish your own set of rules And yet, we don’t teach students this. Ever.

Morning Run

There’s something magical about a morning run before the rest of the world wakes up. There’s something magical about the dimness and fog that surrounds you with hope with what this day could hold. There’s something magical about the rustling in the woods that could be an unexpected morning encounter. There’s something magical about the …

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Shhh Listen

Maybe working with students isn’t about what we want: Yet many teachers are not comfortable with their student’s media: they don’t listen to the same genre of music; they don’t play video games; they don’t watch the same TV shows or movies which appeal to their students. But they should. Allow me to elaborate. When …

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How to connect student to student via Twitter

Sometimes, I feel like the conversations about Twitter center around the impact that it can have on professional development too much. I certainly value it for that reason, but I don’t think that students will use it in the same way. Although I have heard that some teachers are exploring with Twitter in the classroom …

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