Literacy

Matthew Lynch published in Literacy

35 Summer Poems for Kids of All Ages

The sun shines brightly filled with glee,

As kids run, jump and simply be.

In this season of joy and fun,

We’ve gathered poems for everyone.

For the young ones learning to rhyme,

To the teens seeking meaning – now’s the time,

Here’s a collection that does surprise,

35 summer poems for kids of all ages to enjoy.

1. A Warm Embrace by Sandra Dazzle

2. Balmy Beach Days by Veronica Shaw

3. Catching Fireflies by Emma Drayton

4. Dancing in the Rain by Lily Hope

5. Endless Sunshine by Amber Briggs

6. Forest Shadows by Wesley Harper

7. Giggles in the Grass by Amanda Saad

8. Hazy Skies by Gabriel Stevenson

9. In the Meadow’s Heart by Mia Sylvester

10. Jumping in Puddles by Sarah Knight

11. Kites Over Waves by Hannah Norwood

12. Lemonade Stand at Noon by Kaiden King

13. Mermaid Song under a Full Moon by Isla Gibbons

14. Nocturnal Whispers by Elliot Stanton

15. Ocean Secrets Unfurling by Aria Cunningham

16. Picnics Under Willow Shade by Kevin Gardner

17. Quenching Thirst with Summer Treats by Zachary Greenwood

18. Racing Against the Wind by Jessica Putnam

19. Sizzling Sidewalk Secrets by Louisa Whiteley

20. Topsy-Turvy Adventures Outside of Time by Vivian McCarthy Wiles

21. Umbrella Cities on Seashore Sands by Travis Sinclair

22. Vivid Twilight Dreams of Day and Night by Joanne Porterfield

23. Watermelon Wonders and Ice Cream Delights by Mason Allen Wolfson

24. exploring Warm Starlit Skies – An Acrostic Ode by Johanna Ostheimer

25. Yearning for a Cloud to Call My Own by Katherine Erickson

26. Zigzags of Bicycles in the Park by Bronwyn Grissom

27. An Ice Cream Cone’s Melancholy Tale by Bella Stephenson

28. The Joy of a Warm Summer Breeze by Aaron Davies

29. Secrets Between the Sea and Sky by Noah Valderrama

30. A Barefoot Path Through Blades of Grass by Liza Grantham

31. Embracing Solitude on a Distant Shore by Sophie Cisco

32. Lazy Days of Summer: Travelers’ Stories by Owen Lucas

33. Wonders of Fireflies: A Tribute to Silent Beauty by Poppy Fitzgerald

34. To the Endless Dreams of Summer Nights – A Eulogy to Imagination

by Chloe Benson

35. Autumn’s Farewell – A Summer Symphony’s Final Note

by Harper McLain MacKenal

So, gather around; paper and pen,

Engage your minds and hearts we send,

A summer full of fond memories,

Rejoice in these poems while time flees.

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Matthew Lynch published in Literacy

15 Cheesy But Hilarious Literature Jokes That Will Make You Laugh

We all love a good joke, especially when it’s about something close to our hearts – like literature. Here are 15 cheesy but hilarious literature jokes that will surely put a smile on your face!

1. Why did Shakespeare only write in ink?

Because pencils confused him – 2B or not 2B?

2. What did Mary Poppins use to build her website?

SuperCallaFragilisticExpiala-Dot-Com!

3. What’s a librarian’s favorite type of sandwich?

A shhhhhh-a-poboy!

4. Why don’t writers ever get cold?

Because they’re wrapped up in their stories!

5. How did the Harry Potter books make readers feel?

Absolutely spell-bound!

6. Why was the math book unhappy?

It had too many problems…

7. Which author loved seafood the most?

Jules Sardin Verne!

8. Why do mystery authors make terrible comedians?

They always give away the punchline at the beginning of their jokes.

9. What do you get when you cross Charles Dickens with Dracula?

A Tale of Two Fangs!

10. Why did Macbeth become a baker?

He heard there was a chance to knead the dough.

11. How does Sherlock Holmes always stay cool in summer?

With his biggest FANcroft.

12. What’s Jane Austen’s favorite fruit snack?

Her Pride and Preju-dice cream.

13. What do Moby Dick and Dracula have in common?

They both have a monstrous appetite for blubber.

14. How does Dorian Gray order his eggs?

With a Portrait of an Over Easy on the Side.

15. What do you call two writers who are great friends and have an amazing sense of humor?

F Scott Fitz-buddies!

I hope these cheesy literature jokes brought a smile to your face. Remember, laughter is the best medicine, and a good book can provide just that. So, don’t forget to pick up your favorite classic or try something new, and share the joy of literature with others!

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Matthew Lynch published in Literacy

The Best Wordless Picture Books for the Classroom

As teachers and parents, we constantly search for the best materials to enhance our children’s learning experiences. One extraordinary yet underrated resource is wordless picture books. These visual gems encourage creativity, boost language development, and foster critical thinking skills in a fun and engaging manner. In this article, we’ll explore some of the best wordless picture books to incorporate into your classroom.

1. Journey by Aaron Becker

Journey immerses readers in a magical world where a young girl finds her way through various obstacles and challenges using a red crayon. This visually stunning book encourages imaginative play and storytelling, inspiring children to create their narratives as they follow along with the beautiful illustrations.

2. Flotsam by David Wiesner

Flotsam is an enchanting tale of a young boy who discovers an underwater camera washed ashore. As he develops the photos, he unveils a whole new underwater world filled with fantastical creatures and stunning landscapes. Flotsam helps students develop their observation skills and motivates them to explore the natural world around them.

3. The Lion & The Mouse by Jerry Pinkney

Based on Aesop’s fable, The Lion & The Mouse beautifully retells this classic story without words. With detailed illustrations full of emotion and expression, Pinkney manages to communicate the significance of kindness, compassion, and friendship. This book facilitates discussions on moral values and character traits.

4. Pancakes for Breakfast by Tomie dePaola

In Pancakes for Breakfast, a woman sets out to make pancakes but encounters several obstacles along the way. As students follow her journey—visiting the farm for fresh milk or collecting eggs from the hen—they learn about cause-and-effect relationships while honing their sequencing skills.

5. Good Dog, Carl by Alexandra Day

Good Dog, Carl chronicles the adventures of Carl, a faithful Rottweiler, and the baby of the family during their day alone at home. This book encourages students to narrate the story themselves, building confidence in their language and storytelling abilities.

6. A Ball for Daisy by Chris Raschka

In this heartwarming story, a dog named Daisy experiences both joy and sadness in her quest to retrieve her favorite ball. The vibrant illustrations explore themes of loss, friendship, and sharing, making it an excellent launchpad for essential conversations about emotions and empathy.

Wordless picture books offer a unique approach to literacy development, captivating the attention of readers while stimulating their imagination. They invite students to delve into a world where they become the narrators, prompting creativity and boosting cognitive skills. If you’re seeking to enrich your classroom experience, consider incorporating these exceptional wordless picture books for an engaging and rewarding learning journey.

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Matthew Lynch published in Literacy

What Books Are Banned the Most in Schools?

Books are a great source of knowledge, entertainment, and inspiration; however, some books have been deemed inappropriate for young readers due to their controversial themes and graphic content. These books have been banned or challenged by school officials, librarians, and concerned parents.

Banned books are books that have been removed from libraries, schools, and other public entities on the basis of their content or message. According to the American Library Association, the most common reasons for banning books are sexual content, offensive language, and inappropriate themes. The ALA also reports that censorship of books is a violation of the First Amendment, which protects the freedom of speech.

One of the most frequently banned books is “The Catcher in the Rye” by J. D. Salinger. This novel has been banned in schools across the country due to its depiction of teenage rebellion, sexual content, and offensive language. The book has been challenged for decades, but it remains a classic in American literature.

Another well-known banned book is “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee. This Pulitzer Prize-winning novel deals with issues of racial inequality and social justice. The book has been challenged for its use of racial slurs and graphic violence. Despite the controversy, “To Kill a Mockingbird” is still widely read and taught in schools.

“The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” by Mark Twain is also a frequently challenged book. The novel, which was published in 1884, follows the adventures of a young boy and a runaway slave on the Mississippi River. The book has been criticized for its use of racial slurs and stereotypical depictions of African Americans. Despite these challenges, “Huckleberry Finn” remains a classic of American literature.

Other books that have been banned or challenged include “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald, “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck, and “The Color Purple” by Alice Walker. These books deal with themes of racism, sexual content, and graphic violence that some people find offensive.

Banned books are a reminder that censorship still exists in our society. While it is important to protect children from inappropriate content, it is also essential to respect the freedom of speech and the right to access information. By reading books that have been banned or challenged, we can better understand the complexities of our world and the importance of diversity in literature.    

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Matthew Lynch published in Assessment, Elementary Education, High School, Higher Education, International Education,

Have Weighted Grades Outlived Their Usefulness?

The foundational rationale for weighted grades is that the practice provides an incentive for learners to challenge themselves academically. By placing greater value on grades earned in more challenging classes, weighted grades remove a potential disincentive posed by tougher classes—i.e., learners worrying that a lower grade in a tougher class might adversely affect their GPA class rank. Advocates argue that weighted grades deservedly reward learners who take tougher classes, identify higher levels of educational accomplishment, and provide a more fair or balanced system of grading in schools with several educational tracks.

Even with all of its benefits, weighted grades do have many drawbacks, often pointed out by critics.

Critics of weighted grades tend to make the following arguments:

Weighted grades discourage learners from taking certain classes that may be educationally valuable, but that may not present a numerical advantage when calculating GPA and class rank. For example, art and music classes are rarely weighted, so learners may not contemplate art and music classes out of fear that such classes will adversely affect their GPA and class ranking.

Weighted grades are not academically significant unless the grades are based on a single set of learning standards that are assessed consistently from class to class. Unless schools can authenticate that a grade of A in one class represents greater educational accomplishment than an A earned in another class, the utilization of weighted grades can be misleading. For instance, it’s potential that a class labeled “college prep” may be more challenging than a class labeled “honors.”

Weighted grades may act as disincentives, rather than incentives, for learners. While weighted grades may make challenging classes seem less “risky” to learners, it’s also potential that learners, once enrolled in the class, usually won’t work as hard because a lower mark is worth as much as a higher mark in another class. Also, learners enrolled in lower-level classes know that the grading system is assigning their efforts less value. Even if a learner works hard and earns a good grade in a college-prep class, that effort will still be given a lower value than grades earned by learners in higher-level classes.

Weighted grades can devalue certain classes and reinforce cultural divisions within a school. Because both educators and learners know that lower-level classes are given a lower value, the practice of weighting grades reinforces the status associated with higher-level classes and the stigma associated with lower-level classes—for both educators and learners. Consequently, educators may not want to teach lower-level classes, and learners may feel embarrassed or ashamed to take them.

Weighted grades create opportunities for learners to manipulate the grading process. In this view, weighted grades focus learners on superficial outcomes—classmate competitionand higher scores, instead rather then more substantive outcomes, such as mastering new skills, exploring new concepts, learning from failure, or loving the learning process.

What do you think? Have weighted grades outlived their usefulness?

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Matthew Lynch published in Literacy, Parental Involvement, Parenting, Reading & Literacy, Reading Education

Teaching Your Child to Read

Literacy is the most important skill that elementary school students can learn. Without the ability to read, it will be very difficult for a student to succeed in other academic subjects. Because of this, teachers cannot afford to make mistakes during reading instruction. The stakes are just that high. Prison officials calculate the number of cells that they will need based on the number of children that cannot read on grade level by 3rd grade. Think about that for a moment.

Why do they do it? Because if you cannot read on grade level by 3rd grade, you are at a very high risk of falling behind academically. If you can not read the subject matter presented to you, chances are you won’t be able to succeed academically. You will never catch up, and eventually, you will probably drop out, and end up in the school to prison pipeline. All because your reading ability never quite caught up with your grade level.

Are you a parent looking to teach your child to read, or supplement the reading instruction that their eacher is providing in the classroom. I just found this amazing video on teaching children to read on YouTube. Learn how to teach your child to read with research-based, modern strategies!

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Matthew Lynch published in Education Leadership, Literacy, School Leadership

How Leaders Can Support the Implementation of Effective Literacy Practices

Literacy is the most important skill that a student can acquire. With the ability to read, students can access and learn the material in other subjects, such as math, science, social studies, etc. Without it, many will be relegated to a life of crime and possibly incarceration. Why? Because the ability to read is a prerequisite for 95% of the jobs today. If you cannot read, how will you provide for yourself and possibly a family? Without viable job options, many people end up living a life of crime; not because they want to but because they feel that they have no other choice.

That’s why literacy instruction is so important. Educators must be able to teach all students to read on grade level. This involves being a wizard at helping students cultivate foundational reading skills and then build more advanced skills such as reading proficiency, reading fluency and reading comprehension. We often expect teachers to become literacy specialists on their own, but the truth is that the development of literacy practices depends a lot on the support of their building principals. In this article, we will discuss how leaders can support the implementation of effective literacy practices.

Model best practices. The head principal should be an instructional leader. I have been saying this for almost 20 years, and for many, the thought is finally settling in. Whether its elementary school or middle school, they should be able to visit classrooms where reading instruction is taking place and assess the teacher’s effectiveness. If the teacher needs to sharpen some of their instructional skills, the principal should be able to help by modeling the skills that the teacher is lacking. Although I know that in many situations the literacy coach or an assistant principal will be delegated the responsibility of providing literacy coaching to teachers, the principal needs to oversee the process. Why, because the buck stops with you, and most of your subordinates won’t have a wealth of experience in the area. Literacy development is too essential for you to delegate.

Provide effective professional development. If you want your reading teachers to be as effective as they can be, then you need to provide them with a robust system of professional development. This means providing meaningful in-service workshops and training, online professional development options, and opportunities to attend reading education conferences. If you think you can’t afford it, think again. The truth is, you can’t afford not to do it. Affluent districts usually have large professional learning budgets, and even schools that serve poor neighborhoods receive supplemental funds via Title I. You have no excuses.

Get parents involved. If you want to ensure that the literacy practices that you are implementing reach their maximum effectiveness, you must involve parents. Parents are their children’s first teachers, and during a child’s literacy development phase they can serve as excellent teaching partners. The skills students are working on at school, can be reinforced and taught by parents at home. Sure, it will take a lot of work on the parent’s part, but hey, it’s worth it. As an educational leader, you need to make sure that parents are up for the task. Develop a Parent’s Academy that provides parents with the expertise to teach the literacy development skills that kids are learning at school, at home. All you must do is come up with a plan, a curriculum, and then get to work. Of course, you won’t expect them to be able to do everything that a teacher can do, but you would be surprised what you can do with a little innovation.

What did I miss?

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Matthew Lynch published in Diversity, Literacy

How Books Can Help Students Embrace Diversity

We know that reading books increases literacy, fluency, and vocabulary, but reading books also serves another critical role—that of celebrating diversity. Theeverymom.com says, “The best thing about books is that they can take you anywhere. Books offer us a perspective and experience that we may otherwise never know, and that glimpse into someone else’s story can be integral in creating open and accepting minds and hearts.”

Recognizing and appreciating diversity helps our students see that just because someone looks a certain way on the outside, on the inside they are human beings just like we are. They have feelings, dreams, disappointments, and hope just like each one of us. Accepting and learning those who are different from us can only make the entire human race better.

Consider using some of these books to guide conversations on kindness and love for others who are not like them:

ELEMENTARY

The Colors of Us by Karen Katz: Lena wants to paint a picture of herself but is not sure which brown to use since there are so many different shades. This story shows that even though a person’s skin tone is brown, there are many variations.

Suki’s Kimono by Cherie Uegaki and Stephane Jorish: Suki wears her kimono that her grandmother gave her on the first day of school and dances for her classmates.

This is How We Do It by Matt Lamothe: This story follows seven children from around the world as they go about their daily lives.

I Am Enough by Grace Byers: Written as a poem, this story shows us that we are all enough and don’t need to be different.

Everybody Cooks Rice by Nora Dooley: This is a story about a boy who travels around from house to house to see all of the different ways people cook rice. Food is an excellent way to introduce other cultures to your students.

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Baseball in April and Other Stories by Gary Soto: Told from the perspective of a Mexican-American boy who is in 7th grade, the story chronicles all of the difficulties of that age living within cultural bonds.

The Thing About Luck by Cynthia Kadohata: The main character, Summer, must figure out how to help her family who is Japanese.

The Great Greene Heist by Varian Johnson: A cast of multicultural characters help their best friend win the race for school president.

I Lived on Butterfly Hill by Marjorie Agosín: Set in Chile, the main character must go to live with her aunt in America when the Chilean dictator causes turmoil in the country.

HIGH SCHOOL

Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera: Juliet is eager to leave her life in the Bronx for an internship in Oregon, but she learns that things are not always as they seem.

I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai: Surviving a shooting from the Taliban, the main character describes what it is like to live and attend college in the U.S.

Plague of Doves by Louise Erdrich: A mixed-race girl tries to reconcile her Ojibwe and white heritage.

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath: When the stress of life and her job take a toll on the main character, she seeks treatment for her mental health.

Using books to educate our country to become more considerate people starts in the classroom. While the traditional classics are important, so are stories of immigrants, Muslim and Jewish communities, and people with disabilities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Matthew Lynch published in Ask An Expert, Assessment, Assistive Technology, Black Boys in Crisis, Bullying,

The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 2: How Edtech Companies Should Start the New School Year

As summer reaches its peak, and fall gears up to make its arrival, students, parents, teachers, and administrators are all preparing for the beginning of a new academic year. So many gains were made last year, and they are eager to build upon that success. When we talk about education stakeholders who are concerned with starting the school year off right, we rarely, if ever, talk about edtech companies. They too are an integral part of the school community, as they provide a valuable service.

So how do edtech companies stay on their “A” games to begin the new school year? Not to worry, we have you covered.

Hello, my name is Dr. Matthew Lynch and welcome to the second episode of The Edvocate Podcast. Today, we will discuss back to school tips that will help your edtech company get off to a running start and sustain that momentum until summer break comes around again.

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