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 […]
Talking With Kids . . . Let’s Get Real 7 Tips for Talking With Your Child 1) One thing I’ve learned as an educator is to stop talking so darned much. When teachers and parents go on and on (and on and on) blabbering about something we want kids to know, we really can sound […]
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 […]
“My Kids Don’t Listen To Me!” When I speak of my desire to teach parents to teach their young kids to read, even before they enter a classroom, that’s the response that I often hear from parents. So why would kids respond to their teachers or tutors more readily than they would their moms […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]