I am really envious of my friends and colleagues who are organized. I am just not one of those people. I'll confess my computer files are a mess. Files are saved on several different computers, in different folders and under a variety of file names. Well, conferences are … [Read more...]
Archives for September 2012
Using Blending Boards During Small Group Instruction
We've finished our DIBELS Next testing and our intervention groups are now in full swing. Our teachers have been bringing out those blending boards that the Career Tech students made us last year (love them!) and are using them within their small group instruction. We started … [Read more...]
Monsters and Aliens, Oh My!
Well I made the Candy Corn Alphabet activity with a cute little box found at JoAnn Fabrics and the Halloween Rhyming game with plastic discs found at Michaels Craft Store; I just couldn't leave out my other favorite craft store- the Hobby Lobby. While on my shopping trip with my … [Read more...]
Halloween Games
If you've been following my blog for awhile you may know that my daughter Kassie is now a college freshman. I miss her terribly. Even though I have one child still at home the house is eerily quiet. Fortunately, her college is only an hour and a half away, so a quick car ride … [Read more...]
Focus Sticks
I love my job. I really, really do! One of the favorite parts about my job is that I get to network with a whole bunch of very talented teachers. I love hearing about and seeing them implement creative strategies to improve student learning. During the past several years, … [Read more...]
Build It- Write It Cards for CVC and CVCC/CCVC Words
A few months ago, my good friend Keri from the Sweet Life of Teaching was preparing for a training that she was about to offer. On the table was a roll of vinyl chalkboard paper (I've never seen or heard of it until this time). As she was describing what it was and how she … [Read more...]
A Fun Halloween Phonemic Awareness Activity
Two kids away at college and the other at a birthday party. What's a mom to do? Go SHOPPING! No mall for me, though, just a quick jot over to the Dollar Tree and a stop at Walmart for wiggly eyes (super cool project for an upcoming post). While at the Dollar Tree, I found … [Read more...]
Super Easy Privacy Screens
My teacher friend, Deb, has a super easy (and cheap!) way of making privacy screens for the students in her classroom. She simply purchases boxes from our local Office Max and cuts out one side. So easy! Deb says these privacy screens are durable and they are the perfect … [Read more...]
Vocabulary Instruction- Why Learning From Context is Not Enough
Isabel Beck's book Bringing Words to Life has been sitting on my "should read" pile for quite some time. Well, honestly, quite some time is an understatement. I've heard so many raves and reviews from co-workers, I certainly should have read this book long ago. The title of … [Read more...]