Connie's Classroom 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.
Here are three enjoyable outdoor summer activities that help develop fine motor skills. They require no paper, pencils, or electronic devices! Plan each activity for a different summer day.
For the first, you will need:
A b... Read more
The ending of a school year often leaves parents wondering how they can keep their child’s academic and physical skills sharp during the summer months.
Two great resources to check out are your local library, and your l... Read more
Often, at this time of year I see dramatic changes in classroom behavior and a child’s ability to stay focused and on task. I suspect that this is sometimes caused by seasonal allergies and the medications used to treat... Read more
Good visual and memory skills can help your child be successful in school. You can help improve these skills with a simple, fun activity that takes about ten to twenty minutes. This game can be played on a flat surface at ho... Read more
Here’s an activity that combines visual, auditory, and tactile skills in a game that can help improve national reading standards. I used this game with my own children to increase their interest in reading at an early a... Read more
Playing "logical" games with your child helps them develop critical thinking skills needed for math and reading success. Analogies are just a comparison of two things. These analogy games promote making connections and seein... Read more
Information is so meaningful when children learn through "discovery." My class just read a story about being a "Nature Detective." The discussion, following the story, led to some interesting ideas and comments about how th... Read more
Turn snack time into math time with a few simple tricks and activities to make math fun and delicious! Play “Roll for a Snack.” Use a small snack cup or plate. Take one die, from a pair of dice, and have you... Read more
I want to share a chance remark, at a recent doctor’s appointment, that got me really thinking about American children and ADD/ADHD. At a routine medical check-up my Vitamin D levels were checked, and they came up a li... Read more
Parents often ask me what young children should be able to accomplish before entering nursery school, Kindergarten, or First Grade. Following is a basic list of important skills any young child needs for school success. Nat... Read more
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