Stories of Children’s Lives Changed
Last year a student and I read and acted out a play together. This student, who went from sounding out many words and had difficulty with comprehension, was now excited to read her part. Knowing she was a character and not herself, allowed her to open up and shine. We read through it a couple […]
When I think of the word “WOW” I think of something exciting, something new, something amazing. My WOW story is none of those things, and is, in fact, quite the opposite. CH is in third grade, and has been receiving Title 1 Services his entire school career. This year he really, really, really does not […]
We live in a world filled with technology. We use it in our lives every day. Assistive Technology is also vital in special education. Students using devices to communicate, a pen reading words to a student, audiobooks allowing for better comprehension. But sometimes all it takes is sticky notes! I’ve been working with a student […]
On July 31st, one of Let It Shine’s most amazing students graduated. O was a student at Let It Shine for 3 school years, joining the school at age 3. O came into the classroom with few to no words, difficulty taking steps, and little to no desire to play with peers. When presented with […]
In my Book Bunch (Reading Intervention) groups, I incorporate game-based learning as much as possible. We play games such as Find the Sight Word, Roll and Read, Ned’s Head, Sink My Battleship, and various other seasonal and holiday-themed games. Research shows that game-based learning is tied to improved growth mindset and student engagement. Playing games […]
I have been allowed to construct and implement a school wide program to help teach and promote executive functioning skills. This opportunity has allowed me to expand the reach of my services to all students in the school. I went from serving a few (around 10 students) to reaching the minds, hearts, and futures of […]
Sometimes it isn’t the big reveal with all the sirens and lights, or even the figurative lightbulb. Sometimes it is looking back over the past three years and knowing the difference the journey has made. Brantley is one of those kids. He is a sweet rambunctious boy who is just peaking in maturity and finding […]
This year I began working with an elementary student who was struggling with social skills. The student was very intelligent but had difficulty talking with classmates, playing with others at recess, and being able to use social skills to make friends. We spent a lot of time working on these social skills. I paired the […]
My WOW story has been something I have had the blessing to watch all year. I have a student that really struggles with reading. Each word he came to was like a mountain he had to struggle to climb. Each day we would work on word sounds and breaking harder sounds down (Thank you Science […]
I have been working with a young man in 4th grade who struggles with math facts in any form. We have been working hard on mastering addition facts quickly. He has been taking timed facts tests over the past few years and has never completed one in the time allowed. In the spring, he took […]
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