Reading
Reading to Your Kids
Reading to your kids is so very important. Even with high stakes tests hanging over my shoulders, as a classroom teacher I invest the time to read aloud to my students every single day because I believe that it is the best way to promote a love for books*. But reading aloud offers so much…
Read MoreKeep Your Eyes on the Prize
If you’re listening to your young reader read aloud—which you absolutely should be doing, nearly every day— and s/he stops to look up toward the ceiling, you might have a problem to address. Here it is: Readers who are looking up are either 1) trying to remember the word or 2) they are praying that…
Read MoreWiggling Readers
Is your child is a fiddler? Sorry. I don’t mean, “Is your child one who plays a fiddle?” I mean, “Is your child one who, when trying to read a book, plays with a shoelace (or, God forbid, Velcro!) or incessantly flips the corner of the page or taps a toe against the chair leg…
Read MoreReaders Read and Writers Write
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 MoreIt’s More Than Just A-B-C’s
When thinking about teaching kids to read, what comes to mind? Chances are, you think about the alphabet. We teach kids that catchy tune, slap some letter magnets on the fridge, and drag out the alphabet puzzles. That’s a great start! But what kids really enjoy is getting your feedback about how they’re doing with…
Read MoreAre You Speaking Your Child’s Love Language?
Are You Speaking Your Child’s Love Language? Dr. Gary Chapman says that each of us has a preferred love language- a way in which we best receive the love of those around us- a way that best speaks to our hearts. Some of us feel loved when someone shares quality time with us. Others feel…
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 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,…
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