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Being Ready for Anything

One of the things you can always count on is change. I realized this recently. I have a rather odd job that I’m not going to get into here (as it isn’t that important), but the reality of my particular position is that there is occasionally time when there is literally nothing to do. My actual job, during these times, is to simply wait. To be present. To exist. And, as it turns out, it doesn’t matter how I exist during these periods of time. I could sit, stand, jog, read, write, recite poetry: whatever. Now, while all jobs aren’t … Continue reading →

My Son the Chick Magnet

I have a chick magnet in my house. It’s my youngest son who is going into middle school. He has not yet discovered an interest in girls but they sure have. As a matter of fact, girls’ fascination with him began in kindergarten. He started receiving notes from girls as soon as they learned how to write. We have a collection of notes that he has received over the years. As he gets older however, I have noticed that the girls get bolder and frankly, a bit more aggressive. Needless to say we have been having a lot of discussions … Continue reading →

What the Average 12-Month-Old Should be Doing

Many of the requests that I have gotten lately for topics in this blog are guidelines as to what the normal development is of certain ages. For a long time, I have hesitated to talk about this for a few reasons. Each child develops differently, and what may seem behind could actually be perfectly normal, and babies who were born prematurely have different schedules related to age than do babies born full term. There is even a normal speech delay with bi-lingual children, who may not talk as quickly or with as much vocabulary because their brains are busy learning … Continue reading →

Adopted Kids’ Transition to School

It’s a big transition for parents and an even bigger step for children when a child enters “real grown-up school”. Adoptive families can anticipate the common issues this entry brings up, and often a few different ones as well. In her book Real Parents, Real Children, Holly van Gulden writes that even for children who have been in school, first grade can be a difficult time for children as they deal with being away from home all day long and coping with a day that is no longer primarily about play. (Gulden wrote nearly fifteen years ago. I believe that … Continue reading →

Second and Third Grade Reading Skills

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Before beginning a discussion about the skills that third grade students should be able to accomplish, there are a few more skills in which second grade students should know. Continuation of Writing At this age students should be able to begin making good judgments about what types of things to include in their writings. They should be able to edit their own work and take part in conferencing about what was written. The children at this level should be paying attention to writing mechanics such as punctuation. Vocabulary Second grade students are eager to learn and use new words. They … Continue reading →

Reading Skills Students Should Know by the End of Second Grade

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My recent discussion about reading in the primary grades has brought us up to the skills that students should learn by the end of the second and third grade. Remember that these skills are not to be used in determining whether or not a child should be promoted to the next level but to get a better idea of how the child is progressing in terms of reading. I will begin by examining the skills that students should be able to complete by the end of second grade. Phonics By the end of the second grade students should be able … Continue reading →

Creating Story Maps

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In conjunction with the previous reading series discussions, I have given some tips and ideas for enhancing reading instruction. One method that teachers can use to help children make more sense of what they are reading is to introduce students to story maps. In the beginning teachers can model using a graphic organizer such as a map. The teacher can then explain to the students its usefulness and when it would be appropriate to use. The students can then practice using a map on their own. Using a simple story map that describes a selection’s elements such as setting, characters, … Continue reading →

More Reading in Second and Third Grade

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Previously I began discussing the last of the primary level reading classroom instruction. The article began focusing on students and teachers in the second and third grade classrooms. I began giving some details on how reading instruction at these levels should appear. Spelling and Writing At this age, students should be participating in many various writing activities. The teacher should encourage students to write for a variety of reasons and in a variety of forms. The children can take part in reports, poetry, creative stories, personal narratives, and more. The teacher should be pointing out spelling patterns and directing students … Continue reading →

More about Reading and First Grade Students

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Previously I gave some insight into the first grade classroom. I discussed listening, speech, books and print and writing. All of these are very important to the development of a child’s reading skills. Students in the first grade should be able to quickly name the letters and sounds of the alphabet. They should be using these skills when carrying out their writing and spelling. The teacher should instruct the students on appropriate times to use uppercase and lowercase letters. Segmentation, blending, phoneme addition and deletion, and phoneme substitution should all be carried out in the first grade classroom. The teacher … Continue reading →

Reading and the First Grade Classroom

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I have been placing a major emphasis on reading in last several articles. Reading is a very important aspect of education, especially in the primary years. My last reading articles focused on reading and the kindergarten classroom. I will now turn my attention to the first grade level of reading. At the first grade level students are ready to take part in more intense reading instruction. At this level students and teachers will work with listening and speaking skills, books and print, alphabet, phonics, spelling, writing, vocabulary, and comprehension. Students in the first grade need many opportunities to speak and … Continue reading →