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Connie McCarthy
Connie McCarthy is passionate about her work as a teacher of young children. She has devoted her entire career to making sure that her students do well at school, right from the start. Connie has an undergraduate degree in Elementary Education, and a Master’s Degree in Special Education. She has been teaching first grade in East Providence, R.I. for 23 years, where she received the distinction of “Highly Qualified Teacher” by the Rhode Island State Board of Regents. Connie also taught nursery school for four years, and published numerous articles on early education in East Bay Newspapers in Bristol, R.I. She’s also been published in PTO Today Magazine. She lives with her husband, Brian, and has a daughter and a son, both young adults. Connie enjoys reading, writing about elementary education, and taking long walks with friends. During summer vacations, she likes to travel with her husband. She also loves reading readers’ comments on her weekly blog posts.


Turn Your Good Reader into a Good Writer

Feb 02, 2011 - Posted by Connie McCarthy in Parent Involvement, Kids Writing, Kids Learning, Fun Learning Activities, Extracurricular Activities, Connie McCarthy
Being a good reader does not necessarily mean that a child will be a good writer. Writing stories is a learned skill, and sometimes the best readers are reluctant writers. The key is to start simply, so that the art of writ... Read more
Call Me a “Tiger-less” Teacher

Jan 25, 2011 - Posted by Connie McCarthy in Teachers, School Success, Kids Learning, Connie McCarthy
In a recent weekend edition of the Wall Street Journal, (January 8-9, 2011) I read an article that soon started a nationwide controversy. The headline read "Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior." It was the story of Yale Law Prof... Read more
Think like a Student to Improve Math Fluency

Jan 18, 2011 - Posted by Connie McCarthy in School Success, Parent Involvement, Kids Math, Kids Learning, Fun Learning Activities, Connie McCarthy
This past week I got to be "a student." I took an intensive math course, outlining ways to help my first-graders streamline their math skills. It gave me the opportunity to be in the position of learning new skills and info... Read more
Make Math Facts More Automatic With Simple Math Games

Jan 12, 2011 - Posted by Connie McCarthy in School Success, Parent Involvement, Kids Math, Kids Learning, Fun Learning Activities, Connie McCarthy
The more "automatic" your child can be with basic math facts, the more he or she will be able to easily recall them. This recall can then be applied to more difficult math calculations. In education, we call this math "auto... Read more
New Year’s Resolutions to Help Your Child Become a Better Reader

Jan 04, 2011 - Posted by Connie McCarthy in School Success, Parent Involvement, Kids Reading, Kids Learning, Fun Learning Activities, Connie McCarthy
Here are three simple ideas to help your young child become a better reader in 2011. Keep a reading log. Purchase an inexpensive small notebook or blank journal. Date and write down book titles of what you read with your ch... Read more
Family-Friendly Games for School Vacation (that Keep Learning Skills Sharp)

Dec 28, 2010 - Posted by Connie McCarthy in Kindergarten, Kids Learning, Fun Learning Activities, Elementary School, Connie McCarthy
After the hustle and bustle of the holidays it’s great to relax with some family games that will keep learning skills sharp.  Here are two family-friendly games that are easy and fun to play:Game 1 “Find the ... Read more
World Wide Wishes From the First Grade

Dec 16, 2010 - Posted by Connie McCarthy in Kids Learning, Fun Learning Activities, Elementary School, Connie McCarthy
One of our writing projects last week was about "Christmas Wishes." I asked my First Grade students to write about their Christmas wishes for people of the whole world. If they had the power to make a real difference in the... Read more
Household Items That Help With Homework

Dec 10, 2010 - Posted by Connie McCarthy in School Success, Organization, Kids Math, Kids Learning, Homework, Fun Learning Activities, Connie McCarthy
Having the right tools in one place can make homework less of a struggle. At a PTO meeting last night two colleagues and I addressed parent’s concerns about homework. Mrs. Monteiro, a third grade teacher, told parents ... Read more
Sharing Holiday Traditions

Dec 03, 2010 - Posted by Connie McCarthy in Kids Learning, Fun Learning Activities, Extracurricular Activities, Connie McCarthy
So much of the holiday season is about sharing family traditions. In my class today, we were very excited to have one of my student’s mom share their family’s Chanukah celebrations. Most of the students in my cla... Read more
Holiday Gift Ideas for Your Child’s Learning Style

Nov 29, 2010 - Posted by Connie McCarthy in School Success, Parent Involvement, Kids Learning, Fun Learning Activities, Connie McCarthy
At this time of year parents often ask me for gift suggestions that promote learning. So often, a successful gift of this type depends on your child’s learning style. So here are a few gift ideas for visual, auditory,... Read more