Monday, May 25, 2009

Reading Activities for the Summer


The Florida Center for Reading Research has a ton of information about teaching reading skills.


As summer is approaching, many parents ask what they can do to help their child with their literacy skills over the summer.


This is one of my favorite activity packets from the website. It includes many easy and printable activities to work on letter recognition.


Brain Scientist and Stroke Victim


My husband sent me a link to this video. It's 18 minutes long, but well worth the time. Jill Bolte Taylor speaks about the morning of her stroke, her insight into her brain's function and her reflection on her experience.


Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Summer Reading Ideas

Our data and literacy coach just shared this site with us.

After looking at it, it really has a lot of great literacy suggestions for summer reading.

Check out the book suggestions organized according to age groups at James Patterson's

ReadKiddoRead.

Pre-k Paperwork, Planning and Packing


Talk about four "p's" in a pod!


Could the end of the school year get any busier? Probably not!


Paperwork! How can you end the school year without a plethora of paperwork? Progress reports, articulation reports, kindergarten transition meetings, eligibility meetings, dismissal meetings, review of RtI data...are we done yet? I guess it just goes with the territory and the time of year. However, this year, in particular, has made me very thankful that I am a teacher and not a procedural compliance specialist!


Planning! I also just got notice that I received a very coveted summer school position. In the economic crisis, my district had many, many teachers apply for summer school jobs with less positions available this year. I'm so lucly I got a position, but of course, I have to work for my pennies. I will have a whole new group of kids to learn and plan lessons for.


Packing! I hate packing. I hate packing a suitcase to go on a weekend trip. (Obviously this is the one of the four p's that I'll let myself complain about.) My pre-k program is being moved to another school. As a result, I have to organize and pack the room. Did I tell you I hate packing?


The four P's here started my assistant and me singing today (because that's what we do in pre-k)


There are 7 days

There are 7 days

There are 7 days left this year

We can make it

Only 7 days

Only 7 days left this year
mind games...7 days times 7.5 hours equals 52.5 (that's really only two days and a few hours)


(Tomorrow is field day and 6 days left!)