JD Slattery is an awesome addition to the TLC volunteer team. JD works in our enrichment program and supports our 3rd-5th grade students with their reading, writing, thinking, speaking and listening skills. He does it all!  With his support students have learned about computer coding, circuitry, robots and more. JD’s commitment and passion for engaging students in learning makes him an asset in our classrooms.

JD has been crucial in supporting critical thinking skills in the classroom. 

Thanks JD and all of our volunteers for your time, energy and effort. You are making a difference!

Some critical thinking strategies to try: 

• Guide students to answers instead of simply providing the response. Learning is a process. 
• Brainstorm before everything you do!
• Ask questions and look for answers.
• Connect to real life situations.
• Listen to ideas from each other and debate.

April is National Poetry Month! We will be posting poetry-related activities regularly, but here's a list of activities that will be fun to start off with!

For Teachers & Parents:

• Sign-up for "Poem a Day", a free service that will send poems to your email each morning.
• Create a Poetry Immersion Center for your 1st or 2nd graders. 
• Learn more about poetry via articles featured by the Poetry Foundation. 
• Check-out the "Favorite Poem Project".
• Celebrate "Poem in Your Pocket Day" on April 21st! 
• Write a secret poem using invisible ink. 
• Check-out this curriculum designed for middle school students. 
• Write a family acrostic poem together. 

For Kids:

• Play around with the "Poetry Idea Engine." 
• Learn How to Write Riddles from the Author of the I Spy series herself!
• Check-out these online poetry games. 

Stay tuned for more fun, fulfilling, and free poetry activities! 

With this sunny and warm weather, everyone is starting to think about new ideas and Summer, time off school and long warm days!

Here at Teton Literacy Center, we have some ideas of how you can keep your child focused and motivated to finish the school year on track.

- Set up time to play and set up time to focus. Planning ahead will help your child know in advance of the activities in the day, whether is play or academic.

- Take an opportunity to enjoy the nice weather and time away from school. It is Spring Break and playing outside and enjoying the sun is a natural thing to do! Take this opportunity to do enjoy activities that you couldn't get to in the winter.

- Set up incentives. This means, plan for an extra family movie night, or something specific your child might enjoy that will keep him motivated to focus on school and complete homework (Ideas? Sleepovers, adventure of their choice, movies with their friends, ice cream parties, etc).

- Take home work outside (if possible). This can have a positive effect by having your child enjoy the outdoors and after completion, there's fun to be had outside! Being outside is a motivator and you can use it to keep your child academically focused. 

Please let us know how this goes! We love hearing back from our families and happy spring fever fighting!