It’s my favorite lesson to plug into the start of the school year. Before I start I want to say that, in the tradition of great teachers and great teaching, I totally stole this and then adapted it to suit my needs. This writing will deal with the idea itself, how and why I have […]
Instruction & Curriculum
Those Dreaded Words-“I’m Already Done!”
No matter how precisely I plan I always end up with a couple of students who finish some activities early. I used to say what most teachers say, for them to read silently, but I’ve never liked for students to read silently for very long since I don’t really know if they are truly reading […]
Education Consultation: Passing on Your Expertise
I get emails all the time asking questions about how I started my own school, emails that I gladly answer, but usually end up going no further than an initial contact, for whatever reason. This weekend, however, I had the pleasure of doing my first full on-site consultation, face to face, across state lines, which […]
4 Questions to Celebrate Your School Year
As I write this I’m seven school days away from summer vacation. At this time, I’m filled with the usual mixture of emotions. I’m excited to recharge and relax. I’m sad to be saying goodbye to my students, while wondering if I could have done more. I’m anxious for the next year, wondering how I […]
Math Disorders – How to Help
Last week I wrote about recognizing math disorders from Pre-K through high school. This article will explain what other skills may be affected and how to help those with a math disorder achieve success. Every Day Skills A math disorder may affect any of the following areas. 1. A child who repeatedly fails in math […]
Mollie’s Story: Not a Disability But an Ability
Mollie’s Story I met Anna, Mollie’s mom through politics. She and I began having small Facebook conversations about state-wide issues, despite her living in California and me living in Wisconsin. When she found out I was special education teacher, we bonded in yet another way. Her daughter was diagnosed with learning disabilities in reading so […]
Math Disorders – More Than Dyscalculia
Math disorders used to be lumped together under the term dyscalculia. As advancements are made in both educational research and brain science we now know that dyscalculia is just one of many math disorders. By definition someone with dyscalculia has difficulty doing calculations and remembering basic math facts. If you are looking for information specific […]
A Diamond in the Rough: Personalized Math Professional Development
My school year has ended and I look forward to the summertime not only because school has ended but because I am able to reflect on the past school year and create goals to improve my instruction for the next school year. I thought that this was the norm for most teachers but when I […]