Caregiver and community engagement #1

By Carissa Lellos

Teaching, like many other jobs, relies entirely on the relationships you build. Unlike other jobs, there is regular changeover, and it’s not just your success that depends on your ability to connect. One of the hardest lessons I learned during my years as a teacher was the importance of building mutually beneficial relationships with my students’ caregivers. I was trained during my graduate studies to embrace caregivers and community members and to include them in the goings on of my classroom, but was initially resistant. I worried that by inviting them in, all I was doing was providing fodder for criticism. It took work to put my pride aside and put my students’ needs ahead of my own insecurities. Doing so made all the difference. 

It was not easy work, and amid the thousands of other plates teachers are expected to keep spinning, it may seem like a luxury instead of a must-have. 
In this article, we will dissect the importance of building healthy caregiver-teacher relationships and becoming the Dream Team. In the rest of this series, we will provide concrete tips and resources for taking this important step.

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7 Ways to Celebrate Black History All Year Long

Black History Month in February is a vital time to reflect on the significant contributions, achievements, and experiences of Black individuals throughout America’s history. However, the celebration of Black history should extend far beyond just one month. Integrating this crucial part of our collective history into the school curriculum all year long is not just beneficial but essential for fostering a comprehensive and inclusive educational environment. Here are several strategies schools can adopt to celebrate Black history throughout the entire year.

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Demystifying the science of reading #4: Instruction That Works

We’ve moved beyond the buzzwords and uncovered the mystery of the science of reading. Now we’ll talk practically about five essential reading domains, critical pillars that will lead to student reading achievement. While there’s no single set of instructions for teaching each of these domains, science of reading research has shown that spending instructional time building skills in these domains will set students up to be successful readers. In this final installment of the Demystifying the Science of Reading Teacher Tip Tuesday series, we’ll talk about ways you can address these essential domains in your reading instruction and offer some tools to make it easy and fun!

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Simple Machines: Super Powers

This week’s Family Friday will deepen your understanding of simple machines. In our Physical Science and Engineering series, you will be introduced to important science concepts. Read our step-by-step guide on how to create a catapult using everyday items. Have fun with this simple machines science activity!

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Máquinas Simples: Superpoderes

Este Viernes en Familia profundizará su comprensión de las máquinas simples. En nuestra serie de Las Ciencias Físicas y La Ingeniería, se le presentarán conceptos científicos importantes. Lea nuestra guía  sobre cómo crear una catapulta usando artículos de uso diario.

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Demystifying the science of reading #3: How exactly do we learn how to read?

We know that learning to speak and learning to read are not the same in the brain. Learning to speak is innate, while learning to read is not. Reading must be systematically, explicitly taught to bridge the connection between oral language development and reading proficiency. In this installment of our Teacher Tip Tuesday series: Demystifying the Science of Reading, we’ll discuss how decades of reading science research describes the act of learning to read. We’ll also discuss why even the most successful teachers can benefit from science of reading research and research-informed practices.

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Nurturing Bilingual Minds: Unveiling Insights from the Science of Reading

In a recent webinar conducted by Kathy Maximov, Chief Academic Officer of Footsteps2Brilliance, educators and administrators gathered to explore the intersection of the science of reading and the needs of multilingual learners. The session kicked off with a poll gauging participants’ attitudes towards the science of reading for multilingual learners, revealing a mix of perspectives. This blog will delve into the key takeaways from the discussion, focusing on three essential questions: 

  1. What is the science of reading? 
  2. How does it apply to multilingual learners? 
  3. And does the bilingual brain necessitate a unique approach?
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El método científico

Para este Viernes en familia, estará aprendiendo más sobre el método científico. Lea nuestra guía paso a paso para ver cómo se usa el método científico para examinar cómo las plantas absorben agua.

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