I started this site years ago as a 4th grade language teacher. It started as a place for a 4th grade language arts teacher to share classroom ideas. If I had to name my blog now, it would be something like Meaningful, Authentic, and Simple Literacy + Pretty Things.
But, that's a terrible name and will never happen.
It IS how I feel about literacy instruction. I think it's important to continually ask ourselves as teachers-why am I using this resource? How is it helping my kids? What am I doing to support my readers? Also, is this making my life more or less complicated? I hope this blog is a place to navigate what we know about teaching literacy and the reality of being in a classroom with overwhelming demands.
And pretty things, because well, I like pretty things. I love making graphics and sharing digital tidbits, and you'll find those here too.
When I'm not reading about reading or talking about reading or teaching reading, I have a pretty great life. Here's the run down:
•I've got a pretty fierce kids book and shoe habit and am a new plant lady.
•I've been in education for 21 years as a 1st-4th grade teacher and as a literacy coach.
•I'm a proud LSU grad. Geaux Tigers! I was kidnapped and brought kicking and screaming from Baton Rouge to Texas in 2009, and I'm mostly over the trauma.
•I have a wonderful husband (we'll overlook that moving thing) who stays off social media and keeps us all fed & two high schoolers that I adore and are the source of most of my laughter.