Pharrell Williams, has been around for quite a while seeking his fame in music, yet it wasn’t until his recent hit song “Happy,” that Pharrell became a household name. When interviewed and asked what he thought of his long awaited rise to fame, Pharrell stated that he used to write songs that lacked purpose. He decided that […]
literacy
Posted inFeatured, Literacy, Opinion
15 Novels to Read Aloud
Some people think when kids can read for themselves they don’t need to be read aloud to. I could not agree less. I read novels to my second graders daily. In my classroom, there were moments when we just couldn’t settle. I would call everyone to the rug and pick up our novel. The class […]
Posted inFeatured, Instruction & Curriculum, Literacy
22 Perfect Picture Books I Love to Read and Teach
[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”] The best, best, best part of any day was reading aloud to my class. I had hundreds of favorite books: poetry, fiction chapter books (a.k.a. novels), and picture books, both fiction […]
Posted inFeatured, Literacy, Parents
The 5 Things Every Parent Can Do to Help their Child Become a Better Reader in Elementary
At the beginning of the year, I found a simple and truly wonderful idea for my Open House/Meet the Teacher day. I set about putting it into place: a parent wish jar. All it really is are slips of paper that parents can fill out with their wish for their child. I figured these parental […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Build Reading Skills with Poetry
On Friday mornings, the lights would go off, quietly chatting, and the class moved to the rug. Each child held a book of poems. They sat in a circle, poems on the floor before them. I would ask a student to start. As he began reading, the child beside him picked up her poem. The […]
Posted inFeatured, Instruction & Curriculum, Literacy, Opinion
The Importance of Reading Aloud To Your Students
One of my favorite times of my day is reading aloud to my students. Whether it’s a simple theme-based book at our morning carpet time, or our afternoon chapter book, I get lost in the magic of being able to transport my kids from one magical place to another. Even my reluctant readers enjoy our […]
Posted inFeatured, Instruction & Curriculum, Literacy
Teaching Writing to English Language Learners
An English as a second language student will need extra guidance and encouragement to write. Depending on the various stages of English acquisition in your classroom and the grade you teach depends on how you ask for a writing piece and what you can expect the student work to look like. These are some general […]
Posted inFeatured, Instruction & Curriculum, Literacy
Fluency Fix-Up: Teaching Sight Word Phrases
As literacy teachers, we know the importance of teaching our students how to achieve appropriate fluency. Long before the Common Core, we were modeling, teaching fluency strategies, allowing students time to practice, and having fun with poems, Reader’s Theater, and choral readings. As students progress through the grades, the importance of fluency does not diminish, […]