I love Halloween! When I worked as a traditional pull-out special education teacher, I missed out on most of the halloween fun. Everything I taught had to be based on child's IEP goals. This was never a problem, but I did find myself pining after a good halloween activity. Eventually I found some things that … Continue reading 10 Best Halloween Educational Activities For Elementary AND High School
Special education... Ah. The best and worst B.S. out there. We love it, we need it, and we hate it. In this article you will never read "public school" special education is B.S... because the special ed. crap certainly is not limited to public schools. And some public schools actually do have their crap together. … Continue reading This Is Why Traditional Special Education Practices Are Bull S*#@
Many families have heard or used the advice that if your students is struggling to read, the "best thing you [parents] can do is read more." While students certainly have to read to become better readers, students need specific skills to successfully read a book. Without those skills, trying to read a book is going … Continue reading The Myth That Parents “Just Reading More” With Struggling Readers And How To Better Practice Reading
While homeschooling is still considered a parent's right at the federal level, states still have very different requirements for their homeschooled students. This is due to states having the federal mandate to ensure the children that reside there are educated. These two federal laws often clash. How can a state ensure it's students are educated … Continue reading List of states that require homeschoolers to take state assessments
Explicit writing instruction is hard to come by. Historically, teachers have encouraged students to write and read more to become better writers. That definitely is true, but for a large portion of our young writers, they need more explicit or direct instruction. Telling students how to write is not considered explicit instruction. Explicit instruction is … Continue reading How To Create An Explicit Writing Curriculum or Unit
Math has become an ongoing topic for our country. Whether you are a teacher trying to ensure your diverse students will be prepared for state tests, or you are a parent who is trying to work with a struggling child, math can be stressful. There is a current perception that math something you "get" or … Continue reading 5 Math Curriculums Every School And Homeschool Family Should Know
Traditional tests can be so boring with regular multiple choice tests. Helping kids show actual learning can help keep teachers' sanity, help foster creativity, and keeps kids engaged. The more students can show what they know with non-traditional testing, the more engaged students will be. Here are a few tips to increase engagement with assessments … Continue reading 10 Fun Ways To Assess Learning (InfoGraphic Included)
Creating an amazing lesson plan for students (or adults!) doesn't need to be complicated. There are lots of long winded lesson development tools out there. Especially if you're a new homeschooling parent or a new teacher, it can be overwhelming to plan out an entire year of learning and curriculum. Expert teachers break down the … Continue reading This Is How To Develop An Amazing Lesson Plan Using Questions