Where does time go? Forgive the time lapse between blog posts, but as I’m sure you know, life gets in the way. Since my return to school, I’ve been swamped. Actually teaching reading leaves little time to write about it. However, I’m going to resume blogging, offer some tips for nurturing literacy in your home and hope that you will share your questions, ideas and insights so we can all learn new ways to foster a love of reading (and other literacy skills, as well) in our children.

February begins Black History Month. In my work with fourth, fifth and sixth grade students, I’ve found that this age group is shocked and intrigued by the way African Americans have been treated throughout history. The story of the quest for civil rights in this country demonstrates amazing courage and can inspire our youngsters to face the challenges in their own lives. Why not plan a trip to the library and check out the biographies of people who stood up and tore down the racial barrier?