Tag Archives: Reading
This letter was originally published at Michigan Mom Living. Dear Moms, I was born in Muskegon, MI so I am a Michigander at heart. As a mom of four, and a nana of five, I’m still teaching after nearly 45 years as reading teacher,principal, etc.I was blessed to instruct homeschool kids of all ages and their families. I believe in educating children at home. Childhood is a precious time! Parents are a child’s first and best teachers. Today I’m sharing simple…..
If you’ve ever tried to teach a child anything that does not naturally interest him or her, you’ve likely been on the receiving end of “Why do we need to know this?” Today I’m sharing the why behind Reading Champs. By supplementing in the areas where kids are struggling, we can truly change their lives! Why Do We All Need to Know This? As parents, you can take the lead in ensuring that your child has the competitive edge, prepared to excel and compete…..
A guest post this week from my Twitter friend Beth Foraker (@InclusionChick)! Enjoy! —- “You may have tangible wealth untold; Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold. Richer than I you can never be — I had a Mother who read to me.” –Strickland Gillilan I grew up with a mom who read to me. She would read magazines out loud to us on long car rides…and we would all groan…and complain and pretend we didn’t want to listen… but the…..
We need to keep reading to our kids. We need to keep writing with our kids. Parents read to their toddlers, but how many of us continue reading to our elementary and middle school children? Moms and dads probably read the most right before bedtime, the cherished ritual of the bedtime story. Perhaps schools should revamp homework policies that give little free time for individual or family reading and make it a school-wide priority. I always recommend each member of the…..
Parents are the first and best teachers. Sitting by the fire, in a post-Thanksgiving food coma, with three young children running around me, I watch these darling girls in their tutus role playing, twirling, quarreling then hugging. In another year they will be in kindergarten. My kindergarten daughter is now a mother. And I can honestly tell you, she is a truly great teacher. It seems to come naturally. She says she learned it from me. Children learn language by being immersed…..
I recently noticed an important Reading Today Online article written by a first grade teacher. This is certainly an article worth looking at several times, as I have. This teacher walked out of a mandated school district training. She wrote that in the first minutes of a lengthy day, teachers were told to use nonsense words as a basis of assessment, do timed tests which then labeled children and grouped accordingly, and utilize the methodology of the scripted program. There…..
When I was only 21, I taught high school English, speech and drama in Antonito, Colorado. How in the world could I teach minimal English speakers in a language that made no sense to them when they couldn’t read well in Spanish or English? My journey into the field of reading began with those kids, only a couple years younger than me, and never ended. That first year we started a newspaper, put on plays using a table and chairs…..
The other day I had lunch with Kassy, a super mom and long-time homeschooler visiting from California. I lucked out and got to teach her high school daughter and niece a number of years ago. Not surprised at their success in life, I asked Kassy what I should write in upcoming blogs; she told me to simply share my success recipes—she is quite a cook. For me, reading is like breathing. I still like holding a book in my hands. I…..
You want your child to succeed. Since reading is a foundational tool for success in life, mastering the basic skills is really important. In our competitive world, only about a third of America’s children are reading at a proficient level. It’s more important than ever for you to know how to teach reading at home. If you are unsure how well your child reads, have your child select a few books he or she is interested in reading. Start with…..
Welcome. You have come to this blog for a reason, and there’s never been a better time than right now. Maybe you are looking for a way to help someone learn to read more effectively or perhaps the Common Core standards seem unreachable. Whatever the reason, you are in the right place. It’s true there are many how-to-teach-reading titles on the internet. Most of these are strong on theory, which is great if you are a professional teacher. Reading Champs…..