Our First: Five for Friday

Hello, everyone! In the teaching blogging world, there’s a link party each Friday at Doodle Bugs Teaching. Karen and I will be participating in it- so you can get the know the masterminds behind this ol’ blog.

This week, I {Nicolette} will take on our first Five for Friday!

{click button to join in the fun!}

 

1.) For those who don’t know, my oldest son has autism.  His teacher approached me this week about his ELA goals for kindergarten this fall, and my teacher brain went into overdrive researching best practices.

The work of Dr. Marion Blank by way of Columbia University has literally reinformed everything I thought I knew about the reading wars on phonics vs. whole language.  Granted, her book did sound a bit like an informercial for her reading program, BUT I did agree with her about the prerequisites to reading that many schools don’t address in depth: visual sequencing and fine motor skills for handwriting taught in a very specific order.

{via amazon}

I find Dr. Blank’s work fascinating, as she has been studying reading, writing, speaking, and listening for over 40+ years.  I hope many of you will read her work, and rethink some of your approaches to early reading.  Blank’s work has moved more into the realm of special needs and autism, but given that 40% of our students struggle with reading, this does affect all of our classrooms.

2.) Photoshop and I have begun dating again after a break-up nearly ten years ago.  Before I was a teacher, I worked in advertising for major record labels.  I was also an advertising major. Photoshop was a mainstay in my life while I was in school.  It feels nice to combine both of my profession loves: education and good design.

Plus, vintage graphics.  I just love vintage graphics!

{you can download it for free here}

3.) As I mentioned in #1, my son’s ELA goals will include preprimer sight words, which intimidates me, as he is still struggling to communicate in full sentences at age 5. So, after searching around, I couldn’t find exactly what I needed.  I started developing a really fun pack that should be ready to fly into TPT next week.  The cover page is done, so here’s a sneak peek at the first of many units.  We were going for a barber shop feel…

 4.) I’m just so sick of making these.  Sick, I tell you.  The boys want nothing but fruit and sunbutter sandwiches.  But I’m still in love with their lunch bags.

5.) I can’t wait to just melt into the weekend.  Doodle, my oldest child, makes that easy.  We are hosting for Mother’s Day, so it won’t be that relaxing.  My dream Mother’s Day involves a haircut and at a stretch, a spa day.

Next Friday, Karen will take the reigns of 5 for Friday!

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Have a great Mother’s Day weekend,

Nicolette