Stories of Children’s Lives Changed

LSEM > stories
Apr
27
Something That Works

Writing is not something that comes easy for many students on my caseload. It is even more difficult for one of my students who has dyslexia. She has brilliant ideas but getting those ides from her head to paper can be exhausting. We have started to implement many different accommodations to find what works best […]

Posted in: Wow Story,
Apr
20
From Fearful to Fearless

Math has a reputation for being the subject students either love or hate. It’s not uncommon to have students tell you that they hate math class because the work is just too difficult for them to understand. This year I started working with a student who struggled in math. She felt so lost in what […]

Posted in: Wow Story,
Apr
13
A Magical Moment

Towards the beginning of the school year, I began teaching my second grader (H.H.) addition.  We had been working on the concept of understanding and completing addition problems independently.  I tried everything I could think of: We used many manipulatives, blocks, a number line, our fingers, and even some physical activities such as hopping out […]

Posted in: Wow Story,
Apr
06
Growth Mindset: Self Advocacy

In my first year at LSEM, I have been thankful for the time I have to spend working with students on not only their academic goals but also helping them to understand their path to growth. This is a story about learning to self advocate to bring success in your own journey. I had a […]

Posted in: Wow Story,
Mar
30
Growing and Blooming

I recently heard someone say, “Just because you aren’t blooming doesn’t mean you aren’t growing.”  I was reminded of some of my precious students.  Yes, some of my learners are making great gains and it shows.  Their test scores are showing significant growth.  A few of my students are even ready to transition away from […]

Posted in: Wow Story,
Mar
23
Building That Relationship

This is my first year working for LSEM. The start of the year was a whirlwind to get things going, and relationships with students were just starting to begin! It can be hard to start building the relationship of trust between new students and teachers. It was my mission to work well with all of […]

Posted in: Wow Story,
Mar
02
Finding the Right One

Three years ago, I started working with a student who did not want anything to do with reading. She often told me, “I can’t read.” She was reading but was at a very low level.  My goal was to get her to like reading and read independently. This year, she is in fifth grade and […]

Posted in: Wow Story,
Feb
23
Getting Back On Track

I would like to share a success at my school, St. Paul Lutheran. At the beginning of last year, during the height of the Covid scare, I began working with a group of five students twice a week and continued meeting with them the entire year.  We were able to stay in person all year […]

Posted in: Wow Story,
Feb
16
More Than Just Academics

As a teacher, I love all my students!  It’s part of why we teach. I am blessed to be the new teacher at Lutheran Interparish in Williamsburg, Iowa. Most of the parents take an active interest in their children’s’ learning. This makes my job even more enjoyable. I have a fourth grade student named Charlie.  […]

Posted in: Wow Story,
Feb
09
No Problem

I recently worked with a student during our regularly scheduled time.  Upon leaving I thanked him for working so hard with me.  This was his response: “No problem.” I’m glad it wasn’t a problem. His problems referred him to the Resource Program. I’m glad I’m able to make his problem manageable for him. Another student […]

Posted in: Wow Story,