Posts by Dr. Christina Williams
Tear Down the (Word) Walls
My husband and I had a flat tire, and both of our phones were dead. (Note to self: Next overnight camping excursion- Bring phone chargers!) And, we had no spare tire. When a police officer stopped to ask if we needed help, we could not recall a single phone number of someone who could lend…
Read MoreTips to Make Working With Your Kids… Work.
Are you working with your kids this summer to improve a skill? Maybe it’s math facts (Try Tap Math. We love that app.!), or maybe it’s spelling. Whatever the topic, here are some tips to make the practice both fun and effective: Schedule your activity time for when your children will receive it best. Make…
Read MoreHow Words Work
After about 28 years of working with kids, striving to teach them to read and spell well, I’ve learned this: Our language is complicated . . . But it is teachable. We’ve all (if you’re reading this) learned to navigate the rough terrain of crazy word spellings, pronunciations, meanings, and usages. But, could you explain…
Read MoreFoundations for Literacy is Coming Soon!
About seven years ago, we began dreaming about a space called Book Bums. We dreamed of serving our community with a focus on literacy promotion and building face-to-face relationships with families. We slowly grew into a bustling, book-loving community in a quaint café’ setting. We didn’t make a lot of money, but we were rich…
Read MoreComprehension
Comprehension is understanding. If the boy in the picture above reads the word, making each sound, but has no idea that the sounds /s/, /a/, /p/, together, make the word sap and that sap is the often sticky liquid that is in trees and other plants, he’s not comprehending. However, if he doesn’t know the…
Read MoreThe Best Summer Yet!
Are you ready for a fun and productive summer with your kids? I’ll be posting fun-focused activities that both you AND your kids will enjoy! To get the summer started right, simply gather some tools and set a schedule for reading and writing. DO NOT read or write today! Put it off. Plan it for…
Read MoreWhy I Love the Book Stone Fox & Why You Should Read It With Your Child
Stone Fox By John Reynolds Gardiner No matter what grade I teach, I read this book aloud, and I usually begin on the first day of school. I love it that much. Reading Stone Fox is a great way to show kids a character with character. It inspires my students and me to become the…
Read More11 Characteristics of Parents of High Achieving Readers, Survey Results
38% of our 80 survey participants believe that the parents of high achieving readers read to their children often. 34.2% believe that parents of high achieving readers impart a love for reading and value reading together. Those, admittedly, are very similar, and parents of high achieving readers DO both of those things, however, parents of…
Read MoreBecoming A Reader, A Cautionary Tale
When I was six years old, I was going through a “rough patch.” I hated my first-grade life. My single mom had moved into an apartment building, and my bike was stolen during the first week we were there. I had a mean teacher who swatted me on the legs when I did something wrong,…
Read More11 Characteristics of Parents of High Achieving Readers
Which ONE characteristic separates high achieving readers (By far!) from other readers? Parents of good readers tend to do all of the following, however, parents of the highest scoring readers tend to do this one thing far more often than parents of average and struggling readers. Which do YOU think it is? Parents of…
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