Anchor Charts

 

Today in my class, we were reviewing different parts of speech for English learners.  The students had to sort nouns, subjects and adjectives into their proper categories.  

I watched as one student in particular kept returning to the board to look at the anchor chart- the poster that showed the definitions of each and gave some examples- again and again.

He is not the smartest or fastest student in class.

But while the others filled in the page, they made errors.  Some were simple oversights and some clearly didn’t grasp the concept or misconstrued the instructions entirely.  

I deliberately commented on how he was using what we had learned and the anchor chart to make sure he was using the right information to make decisions.

Soon,  several  other students also approached the board and one girl, with an a-ha look on her face, returned to her seat and began erasing.  Then she walked back up and confidently compared her paper to the chart.  

When I graded their assignments later those 4 got the only As.

What we anchor to and how we use it matters.

It matters for us.

It matters for our children who are watching and learning.

Even when we are hearing and learning from good, positive sources- we still need to go back to the anchors of the Holy Scriptures and the words of the prophets.  

Just think of what our world would be like if we were all anchored in just these few truths from our Beloved Russell M Nelson - 

“Think Celestial”.

“The answer is always Jesus Christ”.

“If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy” that we can say about another person—whether to his face or behind her back—that should be our standard of communication.”

“God is the source of all truth.”

“Do the spiritual work to seek miracles.”

“Every person who has made covenants with God has promised to care about others and serve those in need.”

“Nothing invites the Spirit more than fixing your focus on Jesus Christ.”

Don’t neglect returning daily to our spiritual anchors which have been given to us by a loving Heavenly Father who knows us best.  

It is the only sure way to get it right.