Education Services
Recommended Curriculum & Parent Resources
Never trust anyone who has not brought a book with them.
- Lemony Snicket
Special Needs and Learning Differences
Check out the "free stuff" page!
National Center for Learning Disabilities|NCLD
WrightsLaw Special Education Law & Advocacy
Parents Helping Parents: Family Support, Information, and Advocacy
This place is excellent and located in San Jose. Most groups and events are still running online throughout the pandemic, and they will take your call and answer your questions. Invaluable!
What are Learning Disabilities?
Five Historical Figures who Overcame Learning Disabilities
Did Albert Einstein have Dyslexia?
Managing Learning Disabilities in College
The famous people above are just a few of those who had learning disabilities. Agatha Christie had dysgraphia - a disability that causes difficulty with writing - but still became a famous author. Isn't that amazing? Read their stories and more in the articles above.
My Top Five Books for Parents and Teachers
1. Brain-Body Parenting or Beyond Behaviors, Mona Delahooke, PhD
2. Lost and Found, Ross W. Greene, PhD
3. Positive Discipline or Positive Discipline in the Classroom, Jane Nelsen EdD
4. Unconditional Parenting or Beyond Discipline, Alfie Kohn
5. Raise Your Hand: A Call for Consciousness in Education, Komal Shah
Click the links to go to the author's page.
Click me to go to Mrs. Wordsmith on Amazon.
This link will take you to a list of books on Amazon that I'm continually adding to. I hope you find a favorite here, too! Click the boy with the book on his head to see it.
Parent's Book List
I have a list of books for parents now, too! Education, parenting, brain science - anything I've read or heard a credible review about that relates to our purpose here. Click the coffee cup to see it.
Vocabulary
The K and 1st levels are easy, then levels 2 and up are challenging. Try a sample from the website to find the right level. A very thorough vocabulary curriculum that includes reading and a variety of exercises with the words, so your child learns without rote memorization. I prefer the books to the online version, but that opinion is based on using it 10 years ago.
See also - Mrs. Wordsmith below.
Mrs. Wordsmith is now on Amazon with a new line of printed workbooks, plus all the old favorites!!
Click the illustration to see what's available.
Writing
- The Not So Wimpy Teacher (2nd-5th)
- Susan Jones Teaching
- Teaching to the Middle
- Draw then Write (1-3)
- Paragraph Writing (2-4)
- How to Write an Essay
- Picture dictionaries for older kids, games, writing instruction, and more! Fun and colorful style. NOW has curriculum DOWNLOADS with free samples and fair prices. Unique and engaging! She has vocabulary, writing, phonics, and more!
- Look for the FREE RESOURCES page.
Language Arts Full Curriculum
Michael Clay Thompson (MCT Language Arts) specializes in Classical English Language Arts. He has created fabulous, story-like books you read with your child.
Poodle Knows What? is the grammar book for the early grades. It introduces the eight parts of speech and the parts of a sentence in the humorous story of a chicken named Poodle and a dog named What?
The books continue on through the grades but maintain their humorous, entertaining side to keep even older children engaged.
Click the link above or find them on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3BK5fvl
Based on the book of the same name, the Logic of English carries several different resources. The main ones are Foundations, "An evidence-based curriculum that equips young students for reading success," and Essentials, "A spelling, vocabulary, & grammar curriculum for students who need to strengthen their foundational skills." There are additional add-ons and accessories for both sets.
Evan Moor Teacher Filebox Subscription
Their books on writing are good for reluctant writers. I have used Draw then Write and Paragraph Writing especially. The advantage of the Filebox is the ability to access all the grades and subjects. If you have 2 or more children or even one child who works at different levels for different subjects, you can pick and choose what you want to do, and you're not stuck with one level, topic, or book. However, if you just want to buy individual books, visit the Evan Moor online store.
