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Dana Fikes, a veteran educator and author, shared her journey from teaching two-year-olds at her aunt's school in Pasadena to working at JPL and NASA, and later at PAC Bell and Head Start. She discussed her book, "The Pirate Who Loved Flip Flops," which addresses bullying and promotes individuality. Dana emphasized the importance of creating a supportive learning environment and shared her experiences with bullying. She also highlighted her nonprofit, the Charles Fikes Foundation, which focuses on youth with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and her work integrating yoga and mindfulness in schools. 

Dana's contact information and resources:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-pirate-who-loved-flip-flops-dana-macc-fikes/1138811704

Social media handles:
Instagram @danamacc
Facebook @danamacc
YouTube @danamacc

Wellness and Yoga sites:
www.danamacc.com
www.seeingrealsuccess.com

Non-profit website & information:
www.thecharlesfikesfoundation.org
Instagram: @charlesfikesfoundation
https://www.acesaware.org/
https://numberstory.org/

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Falling for Learning Podcast Episode 87 features Melida Haye, a veteran educator, who discusses her journey from Panama to the U.S., where she pursued a career in education despite her parents' initial aspirations for her to become a doctor. She emphasizes the importance of listening to children's interests and supporting their choices, even if they differ from parents' expectations. Haye highlights the significance of self-care and professional development, sharing her experience at a writing retreat that helped her combat burnout and rediscover her passion for teaching. She advises parents to actively listen, support their children's interests, and foster healthy relationships to ensure long-term success.

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TD Flenaugh discusses strategies for teaching children to read fluently, focusing on consonant blends (CR and FR) and sight words from the Dolch 1000 word list. The episode emphasizes the importance of blending sounds in words and using decodable text to help children recognize patterns and improve reading fluency. Practical activities include oral blending and segmenting of words, letter-sound correspondence, and using pictures to aid second language learners. The passage "Fun at the Crab Pit" is used to illustrate these techniques, encouraging children to sound out words and read with expression. The goal is to provide children with the skills and confidence to read independently.

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Resources
Buy T.D.'s book bundle - The R.E.W.R.I.T.E. Method and The R.E.W.R.I.T.E. Method Workbook
Get sight words for your reader - https://superstarworksheets.com/sight-words/fry-sight-words/


TD Flenaugh discusses the importance of sight words, specifically Fry's sight words, for reading fluency. The podcast aims to help parents and caregivers with resources and strategies for their children's learning. 

Flenaugh explains that sight words should be recognized automatically and emphasizes the need for consistency in teaching. She breaks down 10 second-grade sight words, highlighting their rules and exceptions, such as "after," "ask," "does," "help," "letter," "move," "over," "say," "do," and "s." 

Flenaugh also shares her experience at an HBCU College Fair, emphasizing the cultural significance and educational opportunities for black students.

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Support the show

We drop new episodes every Saturday at 5 p.m. Pacific Time.
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Support the show

We drop new episodes every Saturday at 5 p.m. Pacific Time.
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TD Flenaugh discusses strategies for improving children's reading fluency through word families. The episode focuses on the CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) pattern, emphasizing the use of short vowel sounds, and the concept of "magic E." Flenaugh introduces -ID and -IDE words, explaining how children can recognize patterns to read more efficiently.

The importance of reading connected text and sight words is highlighted, along with the use of tools like ChatGPT and Project Read AI for creating decodable passages.

Get your book bundle The R.E.W.R.I.T.E. Method and The R.E.W.R.I.T.E. Method Workbook to help children fall in love with writing.

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We drop new episodes every Saturday at 5 p.m. Pacific Time.
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Book: Signed Copy [https://bit.ly/signed-copy-hamm] & Amazon [https://a.co/d/i1NrP35].

Parent-Child Relationship Card Deck: https://bit.ly/parentingrelationship

Facebook Community [Mastering Meltdown Moments with Megan] - https://www.facebook.com/share/1DTYatpmkF/

Linked In: www.linkedin.com/in/meganhamm-lpc

Instagram & Tik Tok: @meganhammlpc

Megan M. Hamm, a licensed professional counselor and registered play therapist, discusses trauma-informed therapy and mental health awareness, particularly for children. She emphasizes the importance of understanding children's behaviors as forms of communication rather than manipulation. Megan shares her journey from a childhood passion for teaching to a career in psychology, driven by a pivotal experience in third grade. She advocates for a trauma-informed approach, suggesting that consistent, nonjudgmental responses can foster resilience. Megan also addresses the complex issue of corporal punishment, recommending alternative strategies and emphasizing the need for parents to reflect on their intentions and responses.

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We drop new episodes every Saturday at 5 p.m. Pacific Time.
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TD Flenaugh discusses structured literacy, emphasizing its effectiveness in teaching 95% of students to read. The podcast aims to support parents and teachers in improving literacy skills. The lesson plan, divided into two 30-minute sessions, focuses on the short "o" sound using CVC and CVCC words. Activities include word work, word sorting, and reading connected text. Key strategies involve sounding out words, using cards, and hands-on activities. The importance of sight words and high-frequency words is highlighted, with a recommendation to introduce 3-5 per week.

To create your own passages that connect with the lessons your children are learning, use https://www.projectread.ai/. 

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Don't overpay for college! Buy The College Cost Cutter's resources now!

OrderThePlaybook.com
CollegeCostCutter.com
FinancialAidByDesign.com (FAFSA workshop on Jan. 12)

Connect with LaTonja Muhammad on Socials:
www.facebook.com/CollegeCostCutter
www.linkedin.com/company/college-cost-cutter/?viewAsMember=true
www.youtube.com/@CollegeCostCutter-k3r

LaTonja Muhammad is a guest on Falling for Learning Podcast episode 79. Muhammad is a certified college funding specialist, on the Falling for Learning Podcast to discuss strategies for paying for college. LaTonja emphasizes the importance of starting early, even in ninth grade, to plan for financial aid and student positioning. She explains the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) process, highlighting the Student Aid Index and strategies to lower reported income and assets. LaTonja's upcoming workshop on January 12, titled "Financial Aid by Design," aims to help families maximize financial aid eligibility. She also mentions her book, "The College Funding Playbook," and her comprehensive program to help students identify their best-fit colleges and secure financial aid.

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We drop new episodes every Saturday at 5 p.m. Pacific Time.
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