Resources

Do you ever take the time to think about how you start each day? How we begin our morning has the power to set the tone for the rest of our day. In fourth grade, students enjoy a set morning routine that begins with a morning meeting aimed to build classroom community and set students up for a successful day. Our morning routine is founded in the Responsive Classroom teaching approach which embodies the idea that this designated time is “designed to create a safe, joyful, and engaging classroom for both teachers and students.” Lasting only ten to twenty minutes, these meetings are...Read more

Learning to read comes easily to most kids, especially those who are exposed to language-rich and literacy-filled environments throughout the infant, toddler and preschool stages of life. When children begin to apply early literacy skills learned in those first years upon entering school, such as singing the alphabet song, identifying letter symbols, hearing and saying letter sounds, and rhyming, the skills come together quite nicely. However, for some 20 percent of children who struggle to learn to read due to Dyslexia, which is a reading disorder with deficits in phonological processing...Read more

As a former anxiety-ridden small child who would hyperventilate at the thought of potentially seeing a classmate in public, I have always been interested in learning new tools to give students for managing their worries.

In the book Superpowered, authors Reena Jain and Dr. Shefali Tsabary offer kids practical ways to transform anxiety into positive stuff, like bravery, excitement and resilience.

When children think about the future, they start experiencing what the book...Read more

Much of my childhood was spent outside. I grew up having easy access to nature right in my backyard — trails, creeks and animals of all sorts. My siblings and I spent countless hours every week engaged in unstructured outdoor play, exploring together, making up games, and riding bikes on the “roads” we created. I’m fairly certain my parents were unaware of the developmental benefits of sending us outside to play all weekend long, that’s just what parents did “back then,”...Read more

In the wake of the ongoing pandemic, the approaching flu season, shorter days due to the recent time change, post-Halloween fatigue (for those who celebrate), and the election, now seems like a good time to remember the basics of parenting: routine and consistency. Amongst routine and consistency, I would like to also stress the importance of feeding healthy habits and giving ourselves grace. There are so many stressors in our lives, for both kids and parents, that we all need to be intentional about caring for ourselves so we can care for...Read more

As a young educator, I had the privilege of spending time in Cape Town, South Africa. I was there not long after apartheid ended and a new democracy was developing. Along with this new democracy came many changes in education, especially for people of color as adequate education had been denied them for many years. Many injustices, due to a corrupt government and a racially segregated population, prevented an entire generation from reaching their substantial potential. People were forced to live in township squalor, and education was minimal at best. While there, I worked with teachers...Read more

One of the most gratifying experiences over my seven years at Rossman has been greeting students at the front door of the school each morning. It is a perfect place to be situated to recognize the children’s differing characteristics and idiosyncratic behaviors as they start the school day. 

The way they look, act and speak are distinctive and age appropriate due to their gender and personality. My brief morning greeting and the opportunity to hear a snapshot of their sports team, music recital or a family activity connects me to them and fulfills my goal to show Rossman cares about...Read more