My Very Favorite Christmas Book of All Time
Today I wanted to give a shout out to my very favorite Christmas book of all time. No, it isn’t How the Grinch Stole Christmas (she says with some guilt and an apology to that wonderful classic and to [...]
Developing Details in Writing: Beyond Visualize and Verbalize Part II
So, you’ve been working with a kiddo whose spelling is great, grammar is excellent, but who melts down when asked to write in class; the more open the assignment, the more panicked the student. You’ve been using Lindamood Bell’s [...]
Developing Details in Writing: Beyond Visualize and Verbalize, Part 1
We've all had the kids whose parents come in and say, "He's been reading forever and his spelling and grammar are great. But somehow he never gets inferences and he just melts down when he is given a writing [...]
In Praise of Neurodiversity
So, I have this student, let’s call her Lisa. Lisa is a fifteen year old with a rare chromosomal abnormality. She presents as someone with pretty severe autism: she barely makes eye contact, but is fully verbal. She has a [...]
First Day (Aaaahhhh!) Jitters
I walked into Staples and saw them. Signs plastered everywhere: Back to School Sale. My stomach tightened, my palms sweat and my heart skipped a beat. As much as I or any teacher loves teaching, there is always that [...]
End-of-the-Year Blues
I can’t believe teachers are starting to talk about going back to school. I’m only just recovering from the end of school. I know what you are thinking as you nod your head in sympathy: the finals, the grading, [...]