Ring in the New Year with rhymes, reading, and requests!

This month you’ll find some rhymes just right for the New Year!  (Thanks to my daughter, “Dr. Holly,” for the poems she shared.)   You can download a book called “The Month Hop” and a special “Zero the Hero” book to help you celebrate your 100th Day!   Plus, Colleen Gallagher (teachingheart.net) has shared  “Teddy Bear” and “Peanut Butter” books.

Sandy Elsasser contributed the "Month Hop" and "Zero the Hero."  I appreciate Sandy as much as you do for all the great books she has created to share on my site!

According to research, to enhance fluency children should reread poems or books 3 or 4 times.  Trisha Hunter has developed some great fluency cards with creative ways to make repeated readings more fun.  Download them and put them in a paper sack.  Let children choose a card, and then use that style for multiple readings of a poem or book.

And special thanks to Gina Smith for alphabetizing all of my songs.  You’ll quickly be able to match up song titles with CDs thanks to Gina!  Vanessa Levin (pre-kpages.com) said she put all her CDs on an MP3 player and hooked them up to some speakers.  No more scratched CDs!

You’ll also find a few special requests that teachers have made at my workshops.  I am frequently asked, “What is the point of doing the ‘Tooty Ta’?”  If you have administrators or parents that question why you sing and dance in your classroom, you’ll probably want to memorize my response!  You’ll also find a “Reader’s Toolbox” that your children can make to help them when they read.  

Wishing you the happiest New Year ever!   Remember, the more you sing the happier you will be!

                        Children may forget what you teach them,

                        And they may forget what you say.

                        But they will never ever forget

                        How you made them feel today!

                                                            Dr. Jean