A habit is a behavior that has been repeated enough times to become automatic, and good habits -  don't form by accident.. 
All kids need structure and routines built into their daily lives, but for children who struggle with ADHD, it's the only way to experience consistent success. Evaluate your morning, afternoon and bedtime routines. Are they predictable? Are they planned? Do they get jobs done efficiently with little effort on your part? If they aren't, it could be the reason that life feels chaotic and gets messy EVERY. SINGLE. DAY
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Good routines and habits at home pave the way for success for your child both academically and behaviorally. If you need support evaluating routines and habits in place or building new ones to work smarter not harder, I can help! 

Learning is not a one size fits all! Some kids thrive while sitting and working quietly, while others need to move around the room and busy their hands.
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Learning or practicing a skill can be as simple as reading a book together, making a craft that is connected to the book, and drawing out things on blank paper. Using props or supplies you have around the house can make the story come alive to a little learner, but especially if they are disinterested in the idea of practicing!
Other students may be more energetic and will enjoy the opportunity to move around the room! With just a few items like dice (whether online or in real life), sticky notes on the wall and different colored markers, learning to spell will feel like a game, not a chore!

I am passionate about the importance of students loving to learn and making it fun is where it all begins. Think about your child, their likes and dislikes and let the fun begin! If you need more ideas on how to make learning fun, reach out - I've got a million!

Ezra Jack Keats is in my top 5 children's authors of all time! His art brings his stories to life and I love his sweet characters.
The Snowy Day is a precious story about a little boy who enjoyed the snow so much that he brought a snowball inside hidden in his pocket so he could enjoy it a little longer! This is an excellent read for little learners for so many reasons!
Just a few ideas are to use it to discuss helpful ways to handle disappointment, how to pretend and create your own adventures, talk about different types of weather, or just enjoy the characters and setting that Ezra Jack Keats brings to life in this book.

I hope you try the Snowball Cookie recipe and enjoy learning together! Check out the image below for other stories written by this great author!

This book is a fun, summer book that can be used to tackle all kinds of jitters that your little one may experience. Jabari's dad talks him through a different way to think about things when he feels scared and it may just help your child too!

If you don't own a copy of Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall, check online for tons of read aloud versions others have shared. It's a great way to start the conversation about things that your child may feel worried about. Next, get out the supplies to make your own Jitter Juice using the recipe above or make up your own! Enjoy the book and make some fun summer memories!

Today I'm sharing ideas to spice up summer learning at your house with kids of all ages! 
The Door Bell Rang is not just an excellent read aloud, but a fun way to incorporate lessons for reading, math, crafting and sharing. If you don't have a copy of this book at home, a quick search online will produce many videos to watch with your little ones.

Mom's cookies are flying off the plate in this fun book that naturally lends itself to subtraction or division. Whatever skill your child is working on you can easily replicate with cookies that they craft out of paper, Playdoh or even real life cookies that can double as counters and a snack! So pull out the cookies and  plates and let the math fun begin! Model asking good questions like, "How many friends could you share your cookies with evenly?" or "If 3 of your friends came, how could the 4 of you share these cookies equally?" Then ask them to quiz you!
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The characters in the book also create a sweet opportunity for you to talk about sharing and there's a surprise ending that will incorporate addition as well! The possibilities are endless! Come back next week for more fun ideas to bring learning to life!

There is no reason why kids should say reading is boring! 
Here is an idea that taps into so many important aspects of learning for a child.
This one activity alone will have them reading, learning about sharing, focusing on another person's feelings, following directions in a recipe and having fun! You can keep the fun going by asking them to draw their favorite character, write about the steps they took to make ice cream or writing about their own personal experience with today's activity. The list goes on and on! 

New year, better me. Not new, still me, only better. That is my goal going into this new year. Reflecting on my career shift this school year prompted some soul searching about my beliefs. What do I truly believe about education? Teaching and learning? My role in all of it?
Here's what I arrived at today:
I believe all students can learn. 
I believe that learning is rooted in relationships.
I believe that everyone needs a coach. Someone who inspires, encourages, motivates and challenges them to be better.
I believe that all people regardless of age need someone to teach them that they can do hard things.
I believe that things don't get easier, we just get better at handling the hard things.
I believe a better you, is better for everyone.

I believe that I was born to make a difference in the lives of people and teaching is one way I can influence students and their families. This year I hope that each person I encounter professionally and personally, walks away from our interaction feeling better about themselves and possibilities.

I'm not sure if Theodore Roosevelt really said it, but the world has attributed this quote to him and it hangs on my office wall: "Believe you can, and you're halfway there".

​What do you believe? 

Do you remember the last new thing you had to learn? 

Do you remember how nerve wracking that felt? How defeated YOU felt?

This is how some students spend each and every day in school when they are not performing like their peers. Most students are smart enough to know what they don't know, and that feels bad. It can make them feel less than good enough and it will seep into every part of their lives - even the things they are amazing at.
One of the joys of teaching students of all ages is teaching the powerful, three letter word: YET.
It is such a good feeling when you can retrain a child's inner voice to stop saying "I can't". I am not talking about blowing sunshine and cupcakes their way, because the truth may be - that they actually can't - YET. However, with the right coaching and encouragement they will be able to, they just can't YET. 
If your child needs their inner voice reshaped and some extra academic support on their path to YET, reach out today. It's one of my specialties!

Sometimes younger students may act out when they feel dysregulated and don't know what to do with those big feelings. However, mid-meltdown is NOT the time to introduce breathing exercises. They won't hear you and soon you may feel yourself spiraling to regain control.
Teaching breathing exercises during calm, regulated times will teach students that it is normal to feel this way and what they can do about it. Teaching students breathing techniques opens dialogue to help them to be able to give words to those big feelings and how it makes them feel inside. 
The five finger breathing technique shown in the picture above is so beneficial for students to learn because it can be done anywhere at anytime and no one has to know that they need a moment to calm themselves down. They can put their hands in their lap and breathe away without drawing attention to the situation.
There are many types of breathing exercises and they aren't just for children! 

High levels of success are dependent on staying focused on effort, instead of results.  Coach John Wooden, UCLA basketball coaching legend who led his team to multiple championships became an expert on winning in his lifetime, developed an inspiring outlook on failing. He is quoted as saying, "I had mistakes, but no failures. We may not have won a championship every year and of course lost games, but we had no failures. You never fail if you did the best you were capable and gave full effort." 
Teaching children how grow through challenges can be challenging, but Wooden's example is an excellent starting place.
When taking a loss or experiencing defeat, teach them to ask themselves:
1. How much effort did I put into preparing myself? For this test, this skill, this sporting event, whatever it is they are working on - on a scale of 1-10, how'd I prepare?
2. What is one thing I could improve on in my preparation?
Focusing on what could be done differently is much more effective use of time than beating yourself up over what went wrong.
Daily focus on effort is a skill that must be taught and as we age can truly only be measured by ourselves. Considered to be one of the greatest NFL linebackers in the history of the game, Ray Lewis said, "Effort is between you and you."