Blog
Balanced Literacy vs. Bottom-Up Methods: Which is Better?
When they are given nonsensical methods that do not work for them, they remain shut-down and discouraged.
8 Year Old Stress: Worksheets, Quizzes and Tests, Oh My!
"Toto, we're not in Kansas anymore." I try and find my weekly inspiration from my interactions as they happen from parents and kids. This week’s comes from an eight year old third grader, Jonah, who told me he was not a big fan of school. In fact, he was clear in...
Busting Mythologies – #Dyslexia
There is a mythology out there that is very hard to overcome. The mythology typically originates from the school after a parent has queried the school about getting assessed for dyslexia. A parent whose child I worked with recently, was told the following: “Dyslexia....
Draining the Car Battery – #ADHD
When it comes to kid issues, too often I hear simplistic answers to issues that can be very complex. My favorite answer to almost everything is, “My kid has ADD.” Listen up everyone. With determining ADD/ADHD it’s not like a dental X-Ray, where there is objective...
My “Decoding Hurdle” Obsession
I’m sure you’ve heard the expression, “He’s like a dog with a bone.” You know, it’ referring to that person who won’t let up or who keeps beating the same drum over and over. Sometimes I feel that way. I won’t say how long I’ve been beating the “decoding hurdle”...
Reading Comprehension in the “Way Back Machine”
Let’s go once again into the “Way Back Machine.” This time we will go to the mid 1980’s. What was the red hot topic in the field of reading and cognitive psychology? I will give you a hint. It wasn’t decoding or reading fluency. The topic of the decade, the one...
Matthew Effects are Powerful – Act Early
Matthew Effects Are Powerful-Act Early A number of years ago a very powerful piece of research emerged in the field of psychology and education. This research, by Dr. Keith Stanovich ultimately became known as the “Matthew Effects.” The Rich Get Richer A...
The Grind of School
Let’s be honest, school can be a bit of a grind. This is especially so if you are the kind of kid who struggles with reading, spelling and writing. For those who do not have learning problems, school also can be a grind, as well, but they have a much easier...
Under the Big Circus Tent of Normal Variation
I live in the land of analogies and metaphors. Something is always reminding me of something else and an image gets created. One of my favorite metaphors is thinking of kids as under the big tent of “normal variation.” Under this circus tent you see a wide variety...
“One Man’s Ceiling…”
This week I couldn’t shake singing to myself, “One Man’s Ceiling is another man’s floor,” Paul Simon’s song reminding us it’s all a matter of perspective and relativity. What inspired this song running through my head? Let me tell you about Bradon, an 8 year old...
The Decoding Hurdle
Young children face many hurdles that they need to overcome. They come in succession. Getting over one leads to another. Some hurdles are more important than others and are not all equal in their level of importance. One particular hurdle I have been consistently...