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I'm a geek! It's the truth. I can't read enough about how our brains work and how kids learn best. Our amazing brains fascinate me.

Teaching students to read is one of the most debated and misunderstood areas of education. Did you know that 1/3 of 4^th graders in our country can barely read?

One of the most popular systems for teaching reading in education these days is the 3 Cueing system. So, what is this system? This is where we teach students to look at 3 information sources [meaning, structure and visual cues] to understand unknown words and make sense of a text. I have as a Reading Specialist, Resource Teacher and Reading Recovery teacher done my share of teaching this way. But, it’s all based on flawed research!

Listen in to find out how I teach literacy NOW and how much more effective it is. 

In this episode, find out:

• What the REAL best practices are from well-replicated cognitive science research.
• How you can create expo
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So let's chat about [COVID approved] essentials I provide my students with for math both at home and in person.

Manipulatives for math in at the elementary level are essential, in my opinion. Why? Well, brain research tells us that the more senses we can engage in learning something new the better we retain the learning. Manipulatives do this for our students.

In our online environment, we have access to online manipulatives. It's a great option many times. Students find them to be engaging and fun. There is a problem though. We lose the tactile and sensory experience along the way. That's a big loss! I try for a good mix of both online and physical activities for students. This takes advantage of the convenience and game like experience of online while still giving students the opportunity to experience and embed their learning deeper with physical manipulatives as well. Listen in here.

In this episode, find out:

• What I use manipula
...

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Are you teaching online, in person or both this year? I'm doing both, but teaching online is a whole different animal than teaching in a physical classroom.

I don't care what anyone else says, teaching online effectively is HARD. Just like teaching in a physical classroom, there isn't a one size fits all solution for effectively teaching online. Sometimes we just want a formula, and then it would be so much easier! Right?! Well... maybe.

However, I've found there are some things you can do that will make things a bit easier. In this episode, I have a few ideas for you from my own struggles. While I have tons more ideas and tips, I didn't want to add to the overwhelm. So today... I'll just get you started.

 Click here to listen to the podcast.

In this episode, find out:

• How to help families reduce the overwhelm and stay organized so more students get their work done on time.
• How to simplify communication.
• Why you should have an eas
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Learning to use the evidence in a text to understand the text in a deeper way is an essential skill that all students K-5 can learn at their own level.

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I know that is a bold statement, but I'm not afraid to be bold when I know I'm right. Textual analysis is something I have successfully taught at every grade level, so I know it can be done in simple, do-able ways.

Analyzing a text for better comprehension and to use evidence when talking about their reading is something I have taught even kindergarteners. Yes, you read that right. I know that seems really huge, even in 5th grade much less in kindergarten. But in the elementary grades it's not only something your students can do, it's not something we can ignore. And... it can be done orally during your read aloud. Listen in to find out how.

I think using evidence is a really important skill. Learning to look for and use evidence from their reading sets kids up for success in the upper e...

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Let me start by saying….

I'm the queen of lists and teacher to do lists… don't even get me started!

Seriously, I really do LOVE lists and live my life by them. It's my go-to for staying organized - checklists, to do lists, grocery lists, lists of goals and so much more. I've got lists for all kinds of things. And while I might have mental lists, more often than not, mine are written down. As one of my besties tells her kids, "I have two brain cells left and one them is busy." Yup. that's exactly how I feel so many days. So, I write things down. But, a million notes and lists don't work. It's just too easy to lose track of it all. Sticky notes only work for me as part of a larger system. Organization by sticky note reminders is never effective for me.

Trust me, I've tried THAT approach. I just find them everywhere but where they should be.

This time of year, the Teacher To Do List can become overwhelming. There's so much to accomplish a...

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Creating connections with your students and a sense of community in an online classroom is difficult, at best.

However, there are some simple ways you can build community and become a cohesive class when teaching in a virtual classroom. Today I have 11 of them for you.

Whether you've already started school or you are just getting ready, it's not too late to plan how you'll create strong personal connections with students and between students.  We know that relationships are the core of our classroom management and for successful teaching and learning. This is no different in an online or virtual classroom. 

In this episode, I have 11 simple [I promise] ways you can create those strong personal relationships.

Click here to listen. Don't forget to grab the FREE Guide [Working with Students with Disabilities in the Regular Classroom] mentioned in this episode below.

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Helping with students with Autism or ADD succeed in your classroom can seem like a daunting task. 

So many students have trouble with self-managing and self-monitoring their own behavior these days. Emotions can run high for both students and teachers and then things can spiral out of control. But, some students seem to struggle more than others, and can come with behaviors that range from baffling to extremely disruptive.

Click here to listen to the podcast.

Before you get too deep into this school year, I thought I'd bring in the calvary. My guest today, is Laura Cornish. She's an author, a mom of 2 and a Speech and Language Pathologist. Her specialty is working with children with Autism, and she excels at it! In fact, there are families who have followed her when she's moved schools or school districts because she's THAT good!  Whether you have a student with autism or not, every strategy she talks about in this episode can be used for any student in your class with great outcome...

Do you ever wonder why some teachers just seem to thrive and be joyful every year and others struggle?

Well...today I'm sharing 18 rules to live by that will make your year so much better!

You can listen to this episode here.

These not so secret rules are not the only ones great teachers live by, but I've found them to be the most commonly occurring. Most teachers who live by these rules probably don't even consciously know they are doing so. Others many have made a conscious effort create these habits [and you can too].

These rules will not come as a shock to you, but hopefully they'll help you focus on what's important and let go of the rest.

Here's a peek at some of the topics they cover:

• Self Care
• Budgeting
• Feedback
• Goals
• Planning
• and more...

Click here to listen. Just a reminder: Don't forget to check out all the links and freebies below.

You've got this!

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Do you ever feel like you are struggling to maintain your boundaries or set limits in your classroom? 

If you've ever struggled with maintaining your boundaries and helping students understand limits so you can just teach, this is the episode for you! 

I'm so excited for you to share in my conversation with Psychologist and a Parent Coach, Juila Pappas. 

You can listen to this episode here.

It's an eternal truth that we cannot control another human's behavior. We can try and often do, but it just results in a power struggle where no one wins. However, helping  our students find success by teaching and maintaining boundaries and setting limits does work.

Today's guest, Julia Pappas, is a Psychologist and a Parent Coach, and is also the host of The Parenting Presence podcast. Julia has over 15 years of experience working with parents and their children, working in schools and has particular expertise in child development, behavioral regulation, and learning needs. 

Here's a preview...

Are you feeling stuck? Overwhelmed? So stressed out you can't seem to make simple decisions?

When overwhelm sets in and you simply can't make a move left or right, much less forward, it can feel like you're walking through mud. Stuck. Barely moving. Everything seems like it's conspiring to keep you in place as the rest of life rushes past. Maybe you have teacher friends who are just embracing the situation and moving on but for some reason you are just stuck.

Right now, many teachers are in that awful place. It might be because you STILL don't know the plan for school starting so it's nearly impossible to plan. Or maybe you just can barely face the overwhelm of figuring out how to teach in this new, ever shifting normal. Or maybe you're grieving and feeling unmoored by not being able to teach in your classroom, your anchor.

How do you get unstuck and back on track so you can move forward and enjoy teaching again?

Click here to listen to the podcast.

 This episode has all my though...