Every April, the literary world comes alive with rhythm and rhyme as we celebrate National Poetry Month. For elementary school teachers, this month is an opportunity to practice early literacy skills and foster a love for poetry and language. Curious how to teach poetry to early elementary students? Use this
Written by Leah Dozier Walker Executive Vice President of Equity & Inclusion at Waterford.org The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) holds tremendous promise across the education ecosystem. It has the potential to revolutionize learning experiences, enhance family engagement, and drive academic achievement. Leveraging AI can power differentiated instruction, personalize learning
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodivergent condition that affects communication, behavior, and learning. Psychologists use the term spectrum disorder because symptoms and support needs vary depending on the child. Although clinically defined as a disorder, having autism does not mean something is wrong or “needs to be fixed” with
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodivergent condition that affects communication, behavior, and learning. Psychologists use the term spectrum disorder because symptoms and support needs vary depending on the child. Although clinically defined as a disorder, having autism does not mean something is wrong or “needs to be fixed” with
Just like family-teacher partnerships, a strong relationship between teachers and administrators is important for ensuring that students have the academic support they need. At the heart of this partnership is trust—something that takes time and conscious effort to build. Trust is not only important for a professional relationship between educators
Find out how a student’s literacy development is strongly connected to their spoken and written communication skills. Then, discover helpful strategies for teaching communication skills in the classroom—along with five free writing activities. What Are Communication Skills and Why Are They Important for Early Literacy Development? Communication skills are defined
You may know your ABCs but what about your XYZs, as in generations? It’s so easy to put together a classroom Facebook group or send a school email without a second thought. However, depending on the age of your student’s parents, some methods of digital communication may be more effective
Did you know that over one-half of all students will experience a traumatic event by the time they reach adulthood?[8] Each year, educators teach several students who have dealt with trauma in some way. You may not know which children in a classroom have experienced trauma, but the way your
Depending on how we use it, technology can be either a priceless tool or endless distraction. Through computers, smartphones, and tablets, we have a wealth of information at our fingertips that can be both entertaining and intellectually stimulating. Too much screen time, however, isn’t healthy for anyone and can lead
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodivergent condition that affects communication, behavior, and learning. Psychologists use the term spectrum disorder because symptoms and support needs vary depending on the child. Although clinically defined as a disorder, having autism does not mean something is wrong or “needs to be fixed” with
Find out how a student’s literacy development is strongly connected to their spoken and written communication skills. Then, discover helpful strategies for teaching communication skills in the classroom—along with five free writing activities. What Are Communication Skills and Why Are They Important for Early Literacy Development? Communication skills are defined
The human brain is pre-wired for speech, but learning to read always involves explicit instruction. “Learning to read requires several years of intentional instruction,” explains Waterford Director of Curriculum Julie Christensen in a recent video. And the earlier that children are introduced to the foundational skills for reading, the better. Experts
