donnalyn

I just read an interesting blog about the amazing power of using a story in helping children remember information. Stories bring facts alive and are easily remembered. Let's say you want to teach about Abraham Lincoln and how he died. You get the facts and relate it to the students. Next day, they remember nothing. Now, if you put the same information into a story form and add a little drama, presto, kids are hooked and remember! Check out this story about Lincoln. Kids are mesmerized and... Read Full Story

I LOVE TO TEACH! Yes, that's my passion! I'm no longer in the classroom on a daily basis but once a teacher, always a teacher. I love to see the eyes of a child light up when they finally "get it." Early on in my teaching career, I decided to look at each child individually and discover their particular gifts. Some of these children had received very little praise or encouragement. I didn't try to "label" them as being "good at reading" or "good at math" but it was more of who they were... Read Full Story

Wow! That's a bold claim! But it's true. There are two math subject areas that MUST be memorized or children will suffer all of their lives... addition/subtraction facts and multiplication/division facts. Picture this; your child is taking a math test with word problems and they understand the mathematical procedure of what to do, but as they are slowly counting on their fingers, they miss by one. The problem is wrong, near misses don't count. Plus they aren't able to finish all of the test... Read Full Story

This is a follow-up to my last blog, talking about how to help children make the most of their summer with fun activities that stimulate the brain. Audio learners are usually talkers. In order to remember information, they need to talk about it and hear what they say. This is why learning takes place when they are discussing things. Perhaps your audio learner is struggling with spelling. Get a list from the internet of the spelling words for the grade level your child finished. Use acronyms... Read Full Story

This is a follow-up to my last blog, talking about how to help children make the most of their summer with fun activities that stimulate the brain. Audio learners are usually talkers. In order to remember information, they need to talk about it and hear what they say. This is why learning takes place when they are discussing things. Perhaps your audio learner is struggling with spelling. Get a list from the internet of the spelling words for the grade level your child finished. Use acronyms... Read Full Story

Summer's almost here with kids underfoot, and the question is, "How to keep them busy and productive?" The first thing to think about is, "What is my child's weakest area?" Writing? Reading? Math, Spelling? The next question is to determine the type of learning style your child prefers. If he or she loves to draw, seems to remember things seen, they are usually a Visual Learner. If you have a "talker" who remembers everything he or she hears, they're an Audio Learner. Maybe your child takes... Read Full Story

Summer's almost here with kids underfoot, and the question is, "How to keep them busy and productive?" The first thing to think about is, "What is my child's weakest area?" Writing? Reading? Math, Spelling? The next question is to determine the type of learning style your child prefers. If he or she loves to draw, seems to remember things seen, they are usually a Visual Learner. If you have a "talker" who remembers everything he or she hears, they're an Audio Learner. Maybe your child takes... Read Full Story

I have no idea who came up with this word. It's pronounced "ni-mon-iks." It means "something intended to assist the memory, as a verse or formula". No matter what a crazy word it is, the process works!! Remember, "In fourteen hundred and ninety two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue." We'll never forget that date, will we? Mnemonics work because the brain stores information in patterns. And rhymes (being a pattern) are one of the most effective ways to memorize things. Say your child is having a... Read Full Story

I have no idea who came up with this word. It's pronounced "ni-mon-iks." It means "something intended to assist the memory, as a verse or formula". No matter what a crazy word it is, the process works!! Remember, "In fourteen hundred and ninety two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue." We'll never forget that date, will we? Mnemonics work because the brain stores information in patterns. And rhymes (being a pattern) are one of the most effective ways to memorize things. Say your child is having a... Read Full Story

Math vocabulary is often a challenge for students. When I was teaching third grade, I noticed children missing a word problem because they couldn't remember if the word "sum" was an adding word or subtracting word. I gave them a little rhyme so they could remember! "Sum" apples are green "Sum" apples are red "Sum" is the answer When you add in your head! After learning the rhyme I told them to remember that the usage of "sum" in the rhyme was incorrect. It should have been "some". We... Read Full Story