To Teach is To Change a Life

Grab Bag Reviews

2009-05-02T19:16:00.000-07:00

Get on over to Grab Bag Reviews - the button is over to the right - they have the best give aways - They have a hand painted birth plaque with the baby's name and date of birth.... Go one over and enter to win it.

Two of a Kind Working on a Full House and Sponkey Monkey

2009-05-02T18:56:00.000-07:00

There is a really cool diaper bag give away over at Two of a kind working on a full House: http://twoofakindworkingonafullhouse.blogspot.com/search/label/giveaway by: Spunky Monkey: http://www.thespunkymonkey.com/ Go by there and see it. They have lots of other great give aways too - like a steam cleaner for the floor that looks like it would do a jam up job! I would love to win both of them.

Make Worksheets for Writing Skills Practice!

2009-05-02T18:22:00.000-07:00

You can make your own worksheets for your child/students to practice writing skills on this site - It's great

http://www.writingwizard.longcountdown.com/multi-word_handwriting_worksheet_maker.html

strategies for creating strong readers

2009-05-01T17:20:00.000-07:00

Through reading aloud, providing print materials, and promoting positive attitudes about reading and writing, you can have a powerful impact on your child's literacy and learning.

Invite your child to read with you every day.
When reading a book where the print is large, point word by word as you read. This will help your child learn that reading goes from left to right and understand that the word said is the word seen.
Read your child's favorite book over and over.
Read many stories with rhyming words and repeated lines. Invite your child to join in on these parts. Point, word by word, as your child reads along with you.
Discuss new words. For example, "This big house is called a palace. Who do you think lives in a palace?"
Stop and ask about the pictures and about what is happening in the story.
Read from a variety of children's books, including fairy tales, song books, poems, and information books.

Teaching Students to Decode Text

2009-05-01T17:12:00.000-07:00

As an elementary school reading teacher, one of your main jobs will be to help many primary students (K-2) to decode basic words and text. Even the simplest words can be a challenge to the struggling reader and your job is to give them the best tools and strategies so that harder and harder words will start to flow off their tongues naturally. In my room, I introduce my young readers to six straightforward strategies that they must memorize and use when they come across a word that they just can't seem to get past. It really works to post these strategies in your room where they will become familiar and helpful friends to your struggling readers as they move towards competency:

Think About the Meaning of the Story - This is key. Students must learn to rely on the context and meaning of the story in order to forge meaning of unfamiliar words. As adults, we sometimes have to do this in our own reading, so this is an extremely important skill that you must help your students to master.
Chunk It - Teach your students to break the word up into more "know-able" parts. For example, the word "unbelieveable" looks quite daunting. But, when chunked up in to "un-be-lieve-able," it will almost certainly be more manageable.
Get Your Mouth Ready to Say the Sound - If a student has reached a total stumbling block, they might need to take it letter by letter.
Reread - Sometimes the students will have to read, read, and read again in order to get the intended meaning of the text. Teach your students to be persistent and they will reap the rewards of reading comprehension.
Skip, then go back. - If the student is totally lost, they might want to try skipping a little bit of the text and perhaps the meaning will become more clear as they move ahead. Then, they can go back and fill in the blanks, using the added information they gained from moving ahead.
Look at the picture. - Usually, this is the students' favorite strategy because it's relatively easy, effective, and fun. Don't let them get stuck on this single strategy. It's definitely a good one, but sometimes it can be the easy way out at the expense of students learning the more in-depth strategies.
Give these strategies a try with your young readers. They need to live them, love them, and learn them. Comprehension and reading enjoyment are right at their fingertips, but they do have to work at it until it comes more naturally. Have fun with the excitement of reading with these enthusiastic young minds!

Article By: Beth Lewis

Phonics or Whole Lanaguage Approach - what does research say

2009-04-29T20:25:00.000-07:00

Reading experts, such as Harvard Professor Catherine Snow, who led a study of children's reading problems for the United States National Academy of Sciences, recommend that teachers and parents take the best of phonics and whole-language approaches to teach children reading. This has been called 'balanced instruction'.

The best thing that a parent can do is sit down and read to your child - don't just buy the books. If the child's attention span is short when they are young, just point to the pictures and name them. Read the books over and over - this is so good for your child emotionally and educationally.

Go To Simply Stacy for a Great Skinny Dip Candle Giveaway

2009-04-29T17:27:00.000-07:00

Find Simply Stacy at:

http://stacievaughansblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/skinny-dip-candles-review-giveaway.html

You can also find her button on my page. Skinny Dip Candles are great - they are candles and massage oils all in one.

2009-04-26T21:15:00.000-07:00

5 minutes for mom $ 300 Gift Card Four Seasons Resort Giveaway

http://www.5minutesformom.com/6032/mothers-day-giveaway-2009/trackback/

5 minutes for Mom Give Away $300 Gift Card to Four Seasons Hotel Resort

2009-04-26T21:12:00.000-07:00

Go to 5 minutes for mom at: http://www.5minutesformom.com/6032/mothers-day-giveaway-2009/

Boogie Wipes

2009-04-26T20:59:00.000-07:00

Go over to http://www.boogiewipes.com/ to see the neat, new wipes for those tender noses. They even have grape scents. I found out about them at http://www.abusymommy.com/2009/04/snap-totes-must-have-for-mothers-day.html A busy Mommy's Blog page. She is offering a Boogie Wipe Give Away so you cn try them for yourself.

Flowers For Mom, Money For Charity {A Giveaway!}

2009-04-26T20:27:00.000-07:00

Go over to Chic Shopper Chic for a great Mother's Day Give Away that also benefits Children’s Hospital Boston. The hospital provides highly specialized care to their young patients while assuring the continuation of ground-breaking research to help change children’s lives. From now through Mother’s Day, for every online purchase ordered via Kabloom.com, $5 will be donated to Children’s Hospital Boston. Not only are you doing something special for your mom, you are also giving back by helping to support one of the largest pediatric medical centers in the United States.
scoot on over to Chic Shopper Chic to sign up:
http://www.chicshopperchick.com/2009/04/flowers-for-mom-money-for-charity-a-giveaway.html/comment-page-2#comment-18683

See Kai Run Shoes Give Away at Simple Stacies

2009-04-23T21:04:00.000-07:00

Great High Chair Give Away at Momdot.com

2009-04-23T20:26:00.000-07:00

The Svan High chair is unique - it provides functionality, safety, and durabiltiy. It's so neat - I just have to have it - I hope I win - If I don't Good Luck to all of you. You can find it at the Svan of Sweden website: http://www.scichild.com/brand_svan.cfm or at Momdot.com at:
http://www.momdot.com/svan-high-chair-giveaway-retail-approx-300-april-30th/
It's a must have!

a href="http://www.momdot.com" target="_blank">

Great Diaper Bag Give Away at Momdot.com

2009-04-23T20:03:00.000-07:00

Two ways to win Sign up at Momdot.com for random drawing or track back to your tweeter site and have the most tweets and you will win.

Chattermom Giveaway First 1,000 to share secret get $250 gift certificate

2009-04-23T19:22:00.000-07:00

Go to: http://chattermom.com/giveaways/ for a chance to win a $250 gift card to the retailer of your choice from Chattermom.

247 moms

2009-04-23T18:37:00.001-07:00

Bliss Living-Mother's Jewelry and More Give away

2009-04-23T17:21:00.000-07:00

Bliss Living — Mother's Jewelry and More

This Beautiful Jewelry is a great giveaway from fiveminutesformom.com

Go to one of their sites by clicking one of the buttons below to sign up to see if you can win! Good Luck!

fiveminutesformom GREAT Give Aways!!!!

2009-04-23T17:12:00.001-07:00

fiveminutesformom Great Give Aways!!!!

2009-04-23T17:11:00.001-07:00

Great Safe Sunscreen - free of harmful chemicals

2009-04-23T04:57:00.000-07:00

Visit momstart.com for a great sunscreen giveaway

Giftfully Simple - visit for great ideas for Mom's Day

2009-04-21T20:47:00.001-07:00

No Time for Flash Cards

2009-04-21T20:43:00.001-07:00

To Teach is To Change a Life: Add momdot.com button

2009-04-21T19:18:00.000-07:00

To Teach is To Change a Life: Add momdot.com button

Add momdot.com button

2009-04-21T19:00:00.000-07:00

Add Eat, Sleep, Create Button to my blog

2009-04-21T18:54:00.001-07:00

Adding a button

2009-04-21T18:36:00.001-07:00