Hello Mrs Sykes

An effective teacher is always learning, even over the summer break. While you are on vacation, why not catch up on your professional readings? Here are a few suggestions. What did I miss? Be sure to share your ideas in the comments so we can all stay current on best practices in literacy!

If you're in the US, school is almost over, and gifting is on the brain. Here's a simple gift idea. Investment of time... fifteen minutes. Added bonus? You are about to clear off a shelf (or a box, a sterilite drawer, or whatever!) If you are like me, you collect childrens' books for classroom libraries, etc. Some books may be well loved, or ones that you ordered from your book club catalogs, but forgot to use, or they weren't books that were checked out from your classroom library very often. This makes your shelved cluttered. Today's tip: Let them go... to the students! Here's how it usually goes down for me: set out an old box of books. Say nothing about it, until a sweetheart asks about them. Then tell them to pick one book they are interested in, and see you for a label for their name, because they can keep the book. Forever and ever. Seriously, no Pinterest involved. Grab some old labels and hand-write a little note. These were mine last year! I ...

I notice many of my struggling readers in grades 3-5 have a language deficiency. Their teachers are beside themselves as they look at their writing, and come to me asking what do I do? Here's my answer: practice speaking in complete sentences. I bring in photos from magazines or project an interesting picture, and ask students to describe what they see in complete sentences. A small group is a supportive environment for risk-taking, especially for your English Language Learners. I usually spend a couple of 20 minute small group lessons on describing the pictures using complete sentences. Model how to describe the pictures using complete sentences. If you expect elaboration and details from your students, be sure to model that as well.  From there, move on to... Practice Writing Sentences Those pictures you've been practicing talking about? Use them again, and this time have them write their thoughts in sentences. Remind them about the format of a sentence - it needs a ...

If you sell resources on Teachers Pay Teachers, then you *NEED* these websites.

This post is sponsored by WeAreTeachers.com and The Nature Conservancy. Field Trip to Peru If your students are like mine, they haven’t seen much of the world outside their hometown. As a teacher, I am constantly on the lookout for opportunities to integrate the curriculum goals from my state in a meaningful way while opening the world to my students. One exciting (and free) opportunity to explore biodiversity of a coastal ecosystem is an upcoming virtual field trip to Peru! Join www.NatureWorksEverywhere.org on March 16th at Noon EST for a Free Virtual Field Trip to Peru ! Click the image to learn more, see the resources, and register for this free event!

We know reading and writing are linked, right? Many of our struggling readers need help with writing, too. Unfortunately, time is tight, and mClass assessments require written response! Here's a quick look at strategies that I use with my struggling second, third, and fourth grade readers to boost their written responses.

It's a Bright Idea round-up. Enjoy this post from earlier this year! I work with struggling readers in grades 2-5, so I know it can be a challenge to keep these learners engaged and enthusiastic while practicing Fluency and Accuracy. Today, I'm sharing my secret weapon: The Partner Game!

Ever hear of "Pencil Sharpener Love?" It is a known condition that teachers have when they find an amazing pencil sharpener that works on every pencil, every time, without having to twist/turn the pencil in a strange way to get it to sharpen all sides of the pencil. Here's a look at my workhorse pencil sharpener (Photo from August, 2012 - read my first product review here .) Sharp pencils every time from ClassroomFriendlySupplies.com I can't say enough good things about this sharpener. It works just as well 3 years later. I replaced the blade last year after my kiddos accidentally used it for colored pencils - not recommended for color pencils or crayons, FYI! Recently, the folks at Classroom Friendly Supplies announced that they have news. Big news. Purple. Yes, purple! It is called "Popular Purple." The company asked their social networks for input about the next color, and purple was so popular that it is called "Popular Purple!" Check...