I am a mother of three and a first-grade teacher. I spend my days with young children, and I love young children. I understand the importance of exploration, discussion, and play. I believe that friendship and fun are essential to a developing child. I believe there is a place for ‘cute,’ and I love to partake in … Read More
Oct 5, 2018
Parents As Literacy Partners
Leading Innovation for Tennessee Education (LIFT) is a group of Tennessee districts working together to explore innovative approaches and share best practices that benefit students. One of LIFT’s primary areas of focus has been improving literacy outcomes in the early grades. In spring 2018, Trousdale and Sullivan County Schools surveyed parents regarding their child’s early literacy … Read More
Guidance For Implementing High-Quality Instructional Materials
In SCORE’s report, Excellence For All: How Tennessee Can Lift Our Students To Best In The Nation, one of the five key priorities is supporting every student to become a strong reader and writer. Leading Innovation for Tennessee Education (LIFT), a group of dedicated district, school, and classroom leaders from across Tennessee, has been working to improve … Read More
Sep 24, 2018
Why Materials Matter: A Teacher’s Perspective
If I had asked my second-grade class three years ago to write a paragraph about a text we were studying that included an introductory sentence, at least four details, irregular nouns and verbs, and vocabulary like “colossal” and “enchanted,” I would have seen a lot of blank stares—especially in September. But this year when I … Read More
Going Deeper With Early Literacy Implementation
In SCORE’s report, Excellence For All: How Tennessee Can Lift Our Students To Best In The Nation, one of the five key priorities is supporting every student to become a strong reader and writer. Leading Innovation for Tennessee Education (LIFT), a group of dedicated district, school, and classroom leaders from across Tennessee, has been working on just … Read More