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Connie McCarthy Blog Updates
Connie's Classroom (PreK-2) As a teacher I've devoted my career to making sure that my young students learn the fundamentals and do well in school, right from the start. I'll be sharing all sorts of tips, ideas, experience, and hands-on activities that are easy to do at home and reinforce core skills necessary for success at school.
“Mrs. McCarthy, I like to color but my crayon just won’t stop at the line!” said Kate. Some young children have yet to develop the fine motor skills needed to make their crayon “stop at the line.... Read more
"Mrs. McCarthy," said one of my students, "I'd like to read...I just don't know where to start!" Young students often don't understand the left-to-right progression needed for reading. Here are three simple... Read more
The four main coins used in the United States are the penny, nickel, dime, and quarter. Often children find it difficult to distinguish between coins. Young children must be able to recognize different coins, before they can ... Read more
Math games are a great way to practice skills and allow your child to visualize abstract concepts. For these two games you will need a deck of cards, and a pair of dice. Start with twenty-five cards from the deck and one die... Read more
Saying numbers and knowing what numbers mean are two different and distinct mathematical skills. Your child might be a champion counter, yet not be able to identify the number “8″ out of numerical sequence. He or... Read more
It’s a colorful world and knowing basic color words are key for your child’s school success! Here’s a simple to make, and simple to use activity for some color word fun: With a ruler and a pencil divide a wh... Read more
A good “Parent-Teacher” relationship is an integral part of your child’s school success.Parents are often unsure of how to approach their child’s teacher. Teachers welcome input and help from parents, ... Read more
On the opening day of school I noticed Sarah, a new first grader, looking very upset.I saw that her shoelaces were untied."Would you like me to tie those for you?", I asked. "Yes", she said with tears in her eyes, ... Read more
For many children getting school supplies is the best part of going to school! A few years ago, on the first day of school, Amanda, was so proud of her big box of 64 crayons. Very quickly pride turned into panic when I asked ... Read more
"Why can't I wear my pajamas to school?" Last week I shared a few tips on setting up a good morning routine. Here are a few more tricks to make school mornings run smoother. Deciding what a child should wear to school ca... Read more
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