Fall is definitely in the air, though I’m holding out for those rays of sun peeking out from the clouds. Some of you have started using the online Raz-Kids for your Running Records assessments, which is also available to any of your students. This will give you a fabulous pre/post running record of error counts…
Category: How To's
Connecting the Dots
It’s definitely spring. Everyone is in high gear especially with the good weather. Our final session of “Connect the Dots” happened last week with a gathering of folks at Schou. Along with some interventions, we were able to review the latest information on MyScilearn (teacher area). The Results tab now houses the individual graphs and…
Reading Connections and Interventions
Many of you have taken advantage of accessing Reading Levels. These products focus on elements that bridge to reading – decoding, spelling, sentence and paragraph comprehension. As well, practice with word play, categorization and comprehension strategies serve to enhance areas that are weak. The program follows the same protocols as Fast ForWord and interventions are…
iPad/iPod Apps ShootOut – Multisensory Blitz
District Pro-D arrived on February 22nd. Offered at two sites (Byrne Creek and Taylor Park) complete with video feed of our keynote to Taylor Park, it served as a reminder that connection, collaboration, ideas generation happen when we all come together. With over 110 sessions, it was an electrifying event. No small feat for a…
Reading and Adolescent Brain webinar
Sometimes you think … what is happening in that adolescent brain! Even after repeated intervention, there appears a lack of improvement. Dr. Martha Burns of Scientific Learning will be sharing some insights on Tuesday February 5 (12:00pm) via live webinar. Sign up via your Fast ForWord (teacher) link and click in Events.
Quick Markers As Evidence Along the Way
We all understand that having current information about a student’s learning help in guiding our ongoing practice. When there are so many things that compete for time in our day, sometimes it’s difficult to get to those formative assessments. And it’s in these times that I find efficiency and speed is my friend. Even though…
Happy New Year – September 2012
Welcome back. This is a very exciting year with the transition to our new online platform. This has allowed us some flexible options in how we deliver the program, how we support more students, and how we engage in deeper conversations about our students’ learning journey. In anticipation of the process, this blog has been…
First Ever iPad Party
Get a group of administrators, teachers and district staff together – add food and boxes and more boxes of brand new iPads. What do you have? Excitement, anticipation, a bit of wonder, “eyes wide open”, tons of chatter and buzz… Last week, we spent the afternoon with a set of goals: introduce the iPad,…
Gaining Insights – Videos
Here are some short videos that you may be interested in seeing: The Human Spark – Brain Matters (pbs) Inside the Teenage Brain (Frontline)
Choice Words
Things happen when you return from a conference. New ideas attach with old ones and a host of “how does this all connect” is sifted through a lens of “what if…”. At FETC, keynote speaker Michael Wesch (watch TED talk) talked about the fast rise of the new technologies (Youtube 2005; Twitter 2006) resulting in a new culture of…
Growing Readers
I just finished rereading A Corner of the Universe (A. Martin), an intermediate novel for Literature Circles next term. I was reminded once again how meaning can be taken to a whole new level just by the manipulation of words. What happens when there are monstrous barriers that make words impossible to decipher? Make no…
Happy Holidays
This week it’s great to get a chance to visit so many schools in the middle of all the festivities and sing-a-longs. Lots of excitement and plans. We’d like to take this time to wish everyone a safe and rest-filled holiday and see you in 2012.
New Sessions – Launching Fast ForWord and Interventions
Hi Everyone, We’ve booked 2 sessions on the Staff Development calendar for ANYONE who is working at a Fast ForWord site (including satellite sites). If you came to the Introductory session in October, please consider attending Part 2. Part 1 (Wed. November 16th; 12:30-3:00) will focus on the following: brief introduction to neuroscience and implications to…
Fireside Conversations on Interventions (webinar)
Sometimes you just need a place to voice those questions, comments or situations that don’t appear to have any answers. I’m reminded that having ‘partners in learning’ help to enrich and see things in different ways. With all the busy-ness of school, it’s difficult to get away. Enter ‘technology’… The webinar approach was a good…
Lang v2 – New Interventions
New intervention tips are uploaded under the Elementary Intervention page for Language v2 (Ele-bot, Space Commander, Whalien Match). Some of these can be done in a “prevention phase” rather than intervening afterwards.