Do your kids ever do this? Time and time again I find that my little peeps struggle when they try to “clap the syllables” or tap their “head/shoulders/hips” to find the syllables. They’ve been taught this technique by previous teachers and it works ok. But when you’re a beginning reader and are just diving into […]

I have a kiddo who is really struggling to reach grade level standards. Unfortunately he didn’t obtain all that he should have last year and the demands of first grade curriculum are quite challenging. We’ve been working hard and he now has a pretty great grasp on consonant sounds. That dang Y causes some problems. He […]

 Our first trimester of school has come to an end. That always signals the beginning of “hectic season”.   Those weeks from Thanksgiving until winter break are always so busy. It’s tough to fit everything in. PLUS the kiddos are ready for that break. Fitting in our social studies standards regarding customs and traditions during […]

Carson Dellosa recently sent me a couple of products to try out in my classroom. Both focus on Differentiation and Stem. I excitedly added them to my lesson plans in October. Differentiated Reading for Comprehension The Differentiated Reading for Comprehension Resource Book worked as a great change for my guided reading groups. However, I must add that […]

I love engaging my students in all aspects of reading, writing and phonics with fall literacy activities. Here are several literacy activities I use throughout the fall. Creative and Wacky Writing They really get into writing when adorable, fun crafts and creativity are involved. I introduce the kiddos to creative, narrative writing in the fall. I […]

I think classroom environment is important. It’s important that all that your students’ environment is not only fun to look at, but engaging and meaningful as well.   Whenever possible, I try to ensure that whatever I put on my walls can serve many purposes including beautiful decor. Hey – we spend a lot of […]

I’ve known and worked with a couple of the teachers that man our Kindergarten team for nearly 20 years! They are amazing kindergarten teachers and work their tails off to ensure those kiddos are ready for first grade. One of the concepts they begin with each school year is color recognition and our entire school […]