Back to school season always makes me miss teaching. Since I obviously didn't need to shop for myself, I decided to put together back to school gift baskets for my beautiful sister in law and soon to be sister in law! My youngest brother married an elementary school teacher, and my other brother is in an engaged to high school science teacher. I ... Read More about Back to School Gift for Teachers
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Back to School with Chrysanthemum
The first school week brings different feelings, like excitement or worry. With many new faces and places, it is important for teachers to create a positive environment. Students thrive when they learn and feel good. "Chrysanthemum" by Kevin Henkes is a great way to do this. This story makes a friendly classroom from the start. Using this book ... Read More about Back to School with Chrysanthemum
Top 5 June Books
The month of June has been filled with many books. In the past year I started listening to books on Audible while running. On top of listening to books, I’ve also been spending a lot more time reading. I used to read a lot, but life gets busy and reading was one thing that was pushed to the side. In the past few months, I've made reading a ... Read More about Top 5 June Books
Rainy Day at Epcot with Tanner
Last week my son and I were able to go to Epcot for a pass holder preview of the newest ride: Guardians of the Galaxy, Cosmic Rewind. It turned out to be a very rainy day at Epcot with Tanner, but we still had a great time. We got to Epcot around 10 and headed straight to Karamell-Kuche, which is the bakery in the Germany pavilion. I've heard ... Read More about Rainy Day at Epcot with Tanner
Camping at Disney’s Fort Wilderness
Last week I took Tanner camping at Fort Wilderness. We had never been camping before, so it was quiet the adventure! Tanner joined Boy Scouts this year and has decided to go on a weeklong campout out of the state this summer. He was excited to sign up, but I was a bit hesitant since he had never camped. I decided I would take him camping for ... Read More about Camping at Disney’s Fort Wilderness
Phonics for Students with Dyslexia
Learning to read and spell can be exceptionally challenging for students with dyslexia. Challenges become greater when systematic instructional practices are not used in the classroom. An Orton Gillingham approach has become the gold standard for phonics instruction for students with dyslexia. Unfortunately, many schools do not use this method ... Read More about Phonics for Students with Dyslexia
Christmas Gifts for Teachers
Christmas gifts for teachers can be hard to figure out during the holidays. As a former public school teacher, I can honestly say some of my favorite Christmas gifts were handwritten cards from my students. It is nice to be appreciated by parents, but it is even nicer to hear kind words from the kids. As a parent myself, I've always enjoyed ... Read More about Christmas Gifts for Teachers
VCV Tiger and Camel Syllable Division
The VCV (vowel-consonant-vowel) syllable division can be tricky for students because at times the syllable division occurs after the vowel, making the vowel long, and other times the syllable division occurs after the consonant, making the vowel short. As previously discussed, each syllable division has been given an animal name. These ... Read More about VCV Tiger and Camel Syllable Division
VCCV Rabbit Syllable Division
The VCCV (vowel-consonant-consonant-vowel) rabbit syllable division is one of the easiest syllable divisions to teach students. It quickly moves kids past reading simple CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words, such as cat, dog, and pig, to multi-syllabic words, such as rabbit, helmet, and basket. As we discuss various syllable divisions, you will ... Read More about VCCV Rabbit Syllable Division
6 Syllable Divisions Students Should Know
There are 6 syllable divisions students should know. Before we get to the different types, let's talk about why students should be able to identify these. The truth is not all students NEED to know the different syllable divisions. I consider myself a very proficient reader and writer and do not recall ever being explicitly taught the different ... Read More about 6 Syllable Divisions Students Should Know
