HAPPY HOLIDAYS

May your Holidays be filled with the warmth

    of Hanukah candles,

and the HOHOHO's of Santa Claus.

Peace, Love & Joy

WELCOME WINTER

Winter, spring, summer, and fall the seasons go round and round.  Living in Florida where you don't get much change in the seasons it is not a very easy concept for the children to grasp.  Just seeing and reading about it in pictures just doesn't do the seasons full justice.  Looking at these shivering guys really makes you appreciate what WINTER really feels like.

HO HO HO THE TIME OF GETTING 

& GIVING

Children at this time of year are usually heard asking and wishing for this thing or that thing. Sometimes the amount of presents they want can be overwhelming for a parent and especially SANTA.  They need to realize that yes some of the things they ask for will be delivered BUT maybe not all of the items.  The real lesson here is that they should be appreciative for whatever they do get.  They should also be taught at the youngest age that they should be giving presents also.  If they have a sibling(s) they should have the opportunity to go to the store and hand pick something for them.  They should also give a toy to TOYS FOR TOTS or whatever charitable organization is in your community.

SEASON'S GREETINGS

The excitement is in the air.  The student's spirits are at an all time high. In order to have a well disciplined class doing what you want them to do you have to be willing to change your routine up a bit.  I like to incorporate holiday stories as part of reading, language arts having them write stories about such topics as What would you do if Santa got stuck in your chimney?--for example.  In math story problems dealing with presents and food.  Money problems  with prices of gifts.  I like to incorporate a lot of art activities which include a gift for parents and other holiday crafts and cards.  I like to do a Reader's Theater with them and usually they end up wanting to do it more than once.  Have them wear Christmas socks one day and incorporate a graphing math project on it.  So the couple weeks before Christmas Break can be enjoyable and not a ho hum time but a ho ho ho time!!!

CHRISTMAS & GIVING

Tis the season to be giving but it is important to also remind our students and children what they are THANKFUL for.  It is important for them to be part of the giving of gifts.  Going to the store and choosing some gifts to give to less fortunate children themselves.  So they can also give and have that feeling and also receive them.

SPARKING INTEREST

Getting your students imagination sparked easily with an animated figure or something that they can relate to will make writing a paragraph or a story so much easier for them.  Putting this picture in front of them and asking them questions such as where do you think Minnie might be going, who might she be going with, what will they be doing???  How would you feel if you could dress up like Minnie for a day??  Help make the writing process as easy for them as possible.

GIVING STUDENTS MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES

So many of the items our students are given to do are fill in the blanks and bubble in the answers.  They also need to be able to express themselves about their answers in full sentences that make sense and support their answers.  Reasoning behind their choices which is such an important learning skill.

WISHING YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES  A VERY HAPPY GOBBLE & WOBBLE DAY!!!!

BEING THANKFUL

That is really a hard topic for students.  You have to prompt them because being given things and having things doesn't necessarily translate to them that they need to be thankful for them.  They need to be taught the difference between what is a need and what is a want.  That is an important lesson I like to incorporate along with teaching about the first Thanksgiving.

VETERANS DAY

It is so important to teach our students why we have the privileges and the security of our country because of courageous men and women that have chosen to sacrifice their lives to ensure that our country stay free.  They need to know that it isn't just another day that they get off of school.

VOWELS

It is so important that our students learn the proper vowel sounds.  They need to be able to distinguish between a long and short vowel sound and know the rules that accompany them.  This is what is going to make a strong reader, because they are going to have the tools and rules to sound out any word on their own.  I have so many students that come to me for reading to be Tutored and they just have not been taught until mastered the long and short vowel sounds.  They can't tell me what a long e sound is or a short u sound is.  Then top that off with adding other letters to the word then the poor student is just frustrated.  Don't let your child get too behind with this.  It can be corrected but it is much easier done when caught as early as possible.  

TRICK & TREAT & HAVE FUN

KEEPING TO THE TUNE 

OF THE CLASS

Slow down for some of the students in your classroom.  Don't make them feel that they are dragging their feet and aren't apart of the whole group.  They just need that special helping hand from you the, TEACHER, to understand that not everyone is going to learn at the same speed.  Make sure that they are given the extra time and attention they deserve as part of the whole class.

SHEER J O Y!!!

Children need the opportunity to have the freedom to explore environments and new things on their own.  The excitement they get from feeling, seeing, hearing, touching, and possibly tasting new things gives them such an added interest in the topic they are studying.  I always try to include something that will catch their interest at the beginning of a new topic to instill excitement about the topic. 

It is very important that students learn the importance of holidays through the study of history.  They need to recognize why there is a holiday--not just that we have a day off of school, but their is a reason in our history that our forefathers felt it was important for us to celebrate the significance of the meaning behind the holiday.  That not all holidays have to do with gifts and candy.

 W O N D E R M E N T

That word is depicted so well in the little boys stance and facial expressions.  This is something that happens to so many of our students daily in our classrooms and they don't know how to express it to us.  So they sit all confused and randomly try to do the problems that they don't understand.  Some Teachers take the time to work individually with their students and those students benefit from that and that wonderment disappears.  Then you have the Teachers that don't take into consideration individual student work time is necessary and those students suffer.  Your child deserves to have individual time from their Teacher, ask for it.

W H O O O O O IS READY FOR A 

GREAT WEEK????

Every couple of weeks I like to change the routine on Monday and it is fun for the students.  Sometimes they are a little worrisome from the weekend and a little change, I find, really can put that pep back into them.  Plus it gets them enthusiastic for the rest of the week.  It is fun for the Tutor, also.

WEATHER & STORMY CONDITIONS

Getting prepared for a Hurricane can be a frightening experience for a child.  It is important as you are preparing your house that you also take the time to prepare your children and let them know what a Hurricane actually is.  It is a great time to actually teach them about a Hurricane system and what causes them.  What are some of the things that possibly could happen if the Hurricane was suppose to come in the path of your home.  Decide as a family what you actually will do in a calm way so that everyone will know about it ahead of time.  Assure them that as a family that you will all gather together so that no one will be alone.  Also be positive and reassuring you never want to develop fear in them.

With the start of the DEBATES last night it is a good time to start an ELECTION UNIT in the classroom even at a young grade level.  The students should be made aware of current events that are happening that are relevant and important events in history.  You don't have to get into who they should vote for but they should know about the history of the voting process, why we have elections, who is eligible to vote and how you vote, discuss a ballot and the ballot booth, what qualities are needed to become a president and other elected positions if you take the unit further for upper grades, electoral votes for upper grades, the difference between the parties,  issues that the candidates differ on.

F   A   L   L

Autumn days up north with the days

getting cooler and the leaves changing

colors is so delightful.  It is sooo hard to really teach the seasons to the students in Florida 

because they really don't get to see and 

feel the difference in them.  They can only

rely on stories and pictures.

M A K E   R E A D I N G    F U N

You even have to make your

most reluctant readers want

to enjoy reading. Incorporate

reading of poems, silly stories,

reader's theater of short plays, have

them read novels appropriate 

for their grade level and have them

do fun activities to go along

with them.  By captivating them

with these activities they will become

enthusiastic about them and will be

reading along with everyone else!!!

R E A D I N G

My students do one (1) book report each

month.  I send home a different book report form

at the beginning of each month and it must be 

returned by the end of the month.  It is so

important for them to read in the classroom

as well as at home.  Certain months I

will assign a special kind of reading project

that will go with the book that will take the place of a book report form.

9/11

A tender subject to discuss with younger 

students.  They need to know though the importance

this day has had on so many events in our history

that have developed because of an outcome of

this horrific tragedy.  It is a time to reflect 

and remember how time literally stopped and 

we became glued to listening to the news and

hoping and praying for everyone involved in the mass

destruction.

SCHOOL RULES

Good students always make sure that they 

follow their teacher's rules.  When they do

it makes it so much easier to focus on

what they are really at school for and that

is to get a really good solid education!!!

Enjoy your LABOR DAY!!!

SEPTEMBER

Almost the season of Fall,

already into your new grade,

Labor Day and 9/11

to learn about this month

Why do we get those beautiful

colors in our leaves if we don't

live in Florida????

New assignments, teachers, & books.

Lets not forget about who is your 

favorite football team.

So make a super touchdown to make 

this month a great one!!!!

My STUDENTS are all coming to me so excited to share with me about their new school grade.  Though the BIGGEST excitement 

is their NEW behavior program.  Each one is a little bit 

different, but of course the goal is the same in all of 

them.  Hope they all stay so POSITIVE all the way 

throughout the school year!!!!

WAS YOUR FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL

THIS EXCITING??????

Hopefully your new Teacher made

you feel extra special and told 

you about some really exciting

things you are going to be doing!!!

I always made my students feel extra

special on the 1st day back to school.

Let them ease back into the school schedule.

Give them a nice warm inviting feeling about 

the class and some of the things that they will be doing during the year.  The same way I do with my new students that I Tutor.  This is why my students find it so easy to talk to me

and tell me the things that they aren't understanding.  That is so important with a Tutor is that a student feels comfortable with them in expressing what they do and don't understand.

IS YOUR CHILD EAGER FOR SCHOOL????

It is up to you to show them

good positive feeling towards

going to school and how important 

getting a good education is for their

future well being.  Set a good example

for them to follow.

 READY FOR SCHOOL

If you have a child that 

seems to not be so sure about 

starting back to SCHOOL--it is

up to you as a parent to reassure

them and talk about it with them

in all positive ways. With your +

attitude and your openness in having 

your child being able to express their

honest feelings you will make the transition 

much easier.📝🖍

 

SCHOOL DAYS

Last week of summer break.

Make it a special one with your child.

Take them with you and let them pick 

out their supplies if they like that.

Talk about going back to school

in a positive way so that is the same

feeling your child picks up.

SCHOOL IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER &

SHARON'S TUTORING is the right place if you need

a CERTIFIED EXPERIENCED TUTOR to assist your

child with their homework, help them with skills they

don't understand, and/or help them remediate

any skills.

WELCOME

Working on getting my classroom ready for the new school year.

Finished doing my new entrance door and I like the new look.

Now I am going to decide what I want to do over my windows.

I have two ideas in mind.  So I will try both and see which I like the best.

It is always fun to change things up a bit to give the room a little new remodel job.

The kids notice every little new thing I do in it and they enjoy it as much as I do.

Helping one of my students 

do a report he has due 

when he returns to school on

TREASURE ISLAND.

Sometimes a student will say to me 

I can't do that because it is too hard, 

I don't understand it, and/or it doesn't make

sense to me.  I always say to them

think POSITIVELY.  When you have a

good attitude about something it

makes it easier for you to learn it. 

T - IS FOR TRUST

E - IS FOR EXCELLENCE

A - IS FOR ACCOMPLISH

C- IS FOR CREATIVE

H - IS FOR HEART

I LOVE BEING A TEACHER

 I worked on idioms with one of my students

today and he was having many "HAPPY

THOUGHTS" when figuring out different idioms.

His favorite one was "it is a piece of cake."  

What idiom is your favorite???

HOW MANY BOOKS

HAVE YOU READ SO FAR

THIS SUMMER???

1, 2, 3, 4 or 5

IF MORE 

THEN YOU 

ARE DYNAMITE!!!!

So proud to be an

AMERICAN

and get to teach my 

students the reason

why we get to 

celebrate the

4TH OF JULY!!!

So that your child keeps up with their

reading skills during the summer 

provide them with plenty of good reading 

materials they will enjoy!

ENJOY YOUR SUMMER!!!

PARENT'S IT IS A GREAT TIME

TO LET YOUR CHILD

"CATCH UP, KEEP UP, OR GET AHEAD

WITH THEIR ACADEMIC SKILLS!"

I offer Tutoring during the Summer so that 

your child will be able to start the new school

year off on the right foot!!!

                      HAPPY

        FATHER'S

     DAY!!!!

ALL OF THE CUTE WAYS 

OF SAYING 

G O O D B Y E

FOR THE SUMMER!!!!

HIT IT OUT OF THE PARK

THIS SUMMER!!!

FAIRY TALES

Studied all about different types of FAIRY TALES and the

elements that are usually found in them and now we get to

WRITE OUR OWN!!!

A step-by-step process just like a real WRITER

and the thought was SCARY at first

but were doing a GREAT JOB!!!

 CHILDREN JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN!!!

So with their learning I make sure to put in plenty of

fun experiences with it.  So they have the opportunity

to see that learning can be fun taught the right way!!!