Jump Start! What Teachers Need Now

Chatter is everywhere in schools- who is leaving, who is changing positions.  First-year teachers are nervous if they will be rehired for the next year. 

Tens of thousands of teaching positions need to be filled for the next school year.  Job fairs are the first step and they are happening now.  

Are you ready for what's next?

Online phonics diagnostic @whamphonics.com
Additional elementary resources @ https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Whamphonics

The teacher called to give me the day and time of the meeting for the results of the special education testing.   When I attended the meeting, things went downhill quickly, until the school psychologist stood and asked, "Are we talking SLIC here?"
I would learn that SLIC was a 'new' yet less negative sounding term for mental retardation.  

Support your student's parents through this difficult time.  There is no excuse for leaving parents unaware and alone.  The alphabet soup of our profession is confusing and ever-changing.  Don't leave parents without your expertise and concern.  

Online phonics diagnostic @whamphonics.com
Additional elementary resources @ https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Whamphonics

Two important acronyms in education, but frequently misunderstood.

With the switch to a preventative model of support in 2004, interventions are focused on the student’s difficulty with a specific skill, instead of waiting on a diagnosis of disability. I suggest reading the blog post at solutiontree.com. The author included an analogy to sports performance-and since it IS Super Bowl weekend, I recommend you read the article. Essentially, with RTI, we are coaching students up.

Online phonics diagnostic @whamphonics.com
Additional elementary resources @ https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Whamphonics

The planning, prepping, grading, copying, and choosing how to teach the lesson….  It’s all a part of teaching.  While we can’t remove any of the pieces, we can delegate a few. Without a balance between our professional and personal lives, something will break down. Stress causes illness, both physical and mental.  We can’t let ourselves become so stressed that we can’t find the balance.  You will bring more energy to teaching if you’ve taken time to nourish yourself in your personal time. 

Online phonics diagnostic @whamphonics.com
Additional elementary resources @ https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Whamphonics

 This book is loaded with bite-sized strategies that will raise the level of engagement and vocabulary in your classes. The title isn’t specific to Multi-Lingual Learners.   What’s good for language learners is good for ALL learners.  
Enjoy!

Online phonics diagnostic @whamphonics.com
Additional elementary resources @ https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Whamphonics

 Most often, with Response to Intervention (RTI) or Multi-Tiered System of Supports ( MTSS), teachers must work through two cycles of interventions for a student, then meet again to discuss if the interventions were effective in moving the student forward. At its best, these protocols can identify the gap in a student’s learning quickly, provide an intervention to move the student forward, and consider this a success. 

But too often, our observations and comments are vague, and our approaches try   to solve a big problem-"She can't read."  "He is behind his classmates in math."  "She doesn't like art and often acts out."

Instead, Dr. Ross Greene asks us to define the difficulty precisely: 

Difficulty making 1-1 correspondence with objects to 20
Difficulty naming beginning sounds.
Difficulty tracing lines and shapes, letters and numbers.

I suggest you do the same.  Ask for help from others to find the specific lagging skill and support that skill for your student.  

The earlier the better. For both of you:)

Online phonics diagnostic @whamphonics.com
Additional elementary resources @ https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Whamphonics

Teachers shoulder a heavy responsibility for the well-being of their students, both academic and emotional.  However, contrary to the truth that teaching is never done, teachers have families and lives of their own that need attending to.  Support for putting in the time off and TAKING IT!  Mark those moments in your life and be there. 

Online phonics diagnostic @whamphonics.com
Additional elementary resources @ https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Whamphonics

Blended learning is a mix of digital content and face-to-face learning.  Most schools now have one-to-one devices for students.  Many districts require students to use digital programs during the school day.  I'll share how to maximize blended learning for student growth.

Online phonics diagnostic @whamphonics.com
Additional elementary resources @ https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Whamphonics

VERY important! In this episode, I share Harold and the Purple Crayon and lessons learned from this childhood favorite.

Creativity helps us to ask questions, suggest alternative answers to problems, innovate and invent.  Society-and this includes our current students-will have some very real problems to solve that will require thinking outside the box.  

Online phonics diagnostic @whamphonics.com
Additional elementary resources @ https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Whamphonics

An easy system to be sure students have pencils whenever they need them.  It's quiet,  it's efficient, and it helps students complete more work without wasting time finding a pencil to use.  Just for you-a four minute video on the history of the pencil. 

https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/10/11/492999969/origin-of-pencil-lead

Online phonics diagnostic @whamphonics.com
Additional elementary resources @ https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Whamphonics