Last week was exhausting. We are no longer knee-deep in a pandemic–it’s more like chest-deep with no end in sight. My children are missing their friends and their cousins. And the colder weather outside means more time for my people to run around the inside of the house like little lunatics. Just to top things …
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How to Keep Students Engaged During Virtual Learning
Everything about this new normal is challenging. Just thinking about all of the “unknowns” is enough to make you want to pop a Xanax. In our recent post about connecting with students, we suggested that we turn our attention to what we know for sure and what we actually have control over. Let’s continue down …
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Are Books Limited at Home? 4 Ideas to Get Your Kids Reading
My littles are really lucky to have SO many books at their fingertips. I know most families don’t have access to books like my kids do. However, as I have made independent reading time a priority in our home, I realized that some of the reading material that fills my children’s reading time could be …
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Book Scavenger Hunt
I don’t know about you, but I hit a wall this week. Somewhere between the predictable moments like the constant loading and unloading of the dishwasher. And the unpredictable moments like the middle child falling from a tree, puncturing his cute little tummy on a sharp stick during a dang pandemic… I hit a wall. …
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7 Simple Tips to Get Kids Reading at Home
Reading has always been something that was easy to fit into our at-home routine. Bedtime stories are gold in our chaotic house. It is a sacred time, and when it’s missed, there are always tears. We try really hard in our home to treat reading as a gift and not a chore. Because that is …
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Pioneer Valley Books: Supporting Today’s Teachers and Readers
When I taught first grade I was fortunate to have a classroom library filled with Pioneer Valley books. From the high-interest nonfiction texts to the lovable books about the cutest pups, Bella and Rosie, these leveled readers were always the first to fly off my library shelves. Pioneer Valley has always offered more than books …
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Distance Learning: Consider Your Audience
As teachers, we know how important it is to think about our audience as we plan our lessons. We have worked all year getting to know our audience and adjusting our teaching to meet the needs of the students who sit in front of us each day. My-oh-my, how our audience has changed. Your audience …
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Teacher Tribute: Patricia Kucharski
Is this virtual teaching thing making you exhausted? Need a good laugh? Stick with me for this tribute… Today we celebrate first-grade teacher, Patricia Kucharski. I adore so much about this teacher, but the thing I love the most about her is her willingness to put herself out there. I recently brought a group of …
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