I'm having technical difficulties today between the camera and the computer......can't seem to get the pictures from one to the other. I know it's pretty dull when I just write, but I will try to describe some good things that I observed today.

Students perform so well at our morning TALK TIME. They are fresh, the pace is is fairly quick - we have 6 segments in 30 minutes - and they are all engaged using a mini schedule to keep track of activities. It is a cheery, upbeat time with good skill practice and acquisition.

This morning, students used the Springboard voice output device to ask for more bubbles ("more please" or "I want more please" or "please more") or used their voice to say :"I want more bubbles." They used the same device (or the picture sheet, or sign lanugage, or their words) to ask for a cracker or a drink. Sign language ABC songs are a class favorite, with many trying to use their hands to make the letters. When playing "Find it in the Room" a student who previously needed adult support got up when it was his turn, and took his picture card to find it in the room.

At academic center time today, students read an old book, a new book and worked in their writing books. They took the sentence "Look at the big cloud," cut it apart and scrambled it and put it back together - a sentence scramble. Some students also wrote a word or the whole sentence. You can use this same sentence at home. Write it on a strip of paper and read it with your child. Maybe even draw a cloud or find a picture of one. Then make cutting lines between the words with a bright colored marker. If your child uses scissors well, have them cut it apart. Otherwise you cut it while they watch - this is a reading activity, not a fine motor activity. Playfully scramble the words and have them put the words in the correct order. I make dots or x's for the children to put the words on and I also give them a model sentence to refer to.

Yesterday I went to a reading inservice. My goals for this year include getting books that we read for instruction in the classroom home to read, posting pictures and information about reading on the blog, and finding more time to read one on one with students. All of the children like the books and activities that we are working on.

This afternoon I observed the beginning of Book Club with the speech therapist, OT, and SSW. Everyone was working on writing.

Tomorrow will be Friday and there is no school for students. I will be here conferencing and making lesson plans. We have a 5 school day week next week, followed by a 2 day week.
Woo Hoo!!!